Patients failing to attend appointments or failing to answer the phone for telephone appointments is a huge and avoidable waste of valuable clinical appointments.
The effect of DNAs is:
- An increase in waiting time for appointments
- Frustration for both staff and patients
- A waste or resources
- A potential risk to the health of the patient
Please help us to avoid this by cancelling your appointment in good time (preferably 24 hours ahead) so that we may offer your appointment to another patient who needs it.
You can cancel your appointment in the following ways:
- Ringing reception on 01189 874551
- Coming into the surgery and speaking to reception
- Replying CANCEL to your reminder text
- Via NHS App/Patient Access
Mistakes do happen and the Practice will take into account the reason given by patients for missed appointments.
Important information when you miss your appointment (our DNA policy)
- In the event that a patient does not attend (DNA) an appointment or telephone appointment then the appointment will be recorded as a DNA. Appointments that are wasted due to patients arriving late will also be classed as a DNA.
- On the first occasion, a letter will be sent to the patient advising of the missed appointment and reminding them to cancel in good time if they cannot attend.
- If a patient does not attend (DNA) for a second appointment within a 12 month period, they will be sent a letter explaining that they did not attend their appointment reminding them again of how to cancel and informing them that if they miss another appointment in the 12 month period that they may be removed from the practice list. A senior member of the practice team will also call the patient to see if there are any mitigating circumstances and to ensure that the patient understands the importance of cancelling appointments if unable to attend.
- If a patient DNA’s a third time within a 12 month period, the clinical records will be reviewed by a senior GP and if there is no reason why they should not have been able to cancel these appointments, in accordance with our practice policy and NHS General Medical Service Regulations 2015(Sch3)(24)(8)(b), the patient will be removed from our patient list. The practice will notify NHS England and the patient will be removed from the practice list on the eighth day following the notification to NHS England.
To avoid all of this, please ensure that you cancel your appointments in enough time that they could be utilised by another patient. Any appointments cancelled with less than an hour’s notice may count as a DNA as the appointment is still likely to be wasted.