Background
When demand is high it can be difficult to get a routine appointment with a doctor or nurse. When patients fail to attend for their appointments this makes things harder.
When patients are declined routine appointments because they are all booked, it is very disappointing when one of those booked appointments does not turn up and has not contacted the surgery so it can be released for someone else.
In 2021 5457 appointments were wasted due to patients not attending, this is equivalent to 17 hours a week.
Remember – your DNA is another patient’s denied appointment and you might be the patient needing the appointment one day.
DNA Policy
Any patient failing to attend for three or more appointments within a three month period will receive a letter detailing the appointments missed and requesting that care be taken to avoid a re-occurrence and that a further re-occurrence could result in removal from the practice.
If there is a further missed appointment within the twelve month period, unless there are specfic clinical reasons not to do so, the patient will be removed from the practice list.
The patient will receive a letter advising them of this.
Avoid becoming a DNA
If you cannot attend – or no longer need – an appointment please let us know.
The practice has a reminder service for anyone with a mobile phone – please keep us up to date with your number so you can receive the reminder texts.