Every missed appointment costs the NHS money and prevents someone else from attending. If you are unable to attend an appointment it is vital you contact the surgery to cancel the appointment to make it available for another patient.
We have a DNA policy in place at the practice to ensure that patients, who repeatedly miss their appointments without contacting the surgery and without good reason, are notified and advised that any further missed appointments may lead to them being removed from the practice register.
It is quick and easy to cancel an appointment with the surgery:
- Through online access - available 24 hours a day
- Through the NHS App
- By contacting us on the phone on 01937 222841
- Email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - please add ‘APPOINTMENT CANCELLATION’ in the subject.
Every time you fail to attend an appointment it is recorded in your electronic patient record.
First DNA - If you fail to attend an appointment you will receive a letter from the practice detailing the missed appointment and advising you of the different ways that you can contact the surgery to cancel your appointment.
Second DNA - If you fail to attend a further appointment within the same 12-month period, you will receive a second letter from the practice, again detailing the dates and times of the appointments that you have missed.
Third DNA - If you fail to attend a further (third) appointment within the same 12-month period, you will be notified that, due to your non-attendance /cancellation of appointments, your registration has been reviewed by a senior GP and you will be removed from our practice list. It is practice Policy that a senior GP will always review a patient record prior to agreeing removal, as patient safety is of paramount importance.
Upon receipt of this third letter you will be notified of a 4-week period whereby you can contact the surgery by letter, addressed to the Practice Manager, to review this decision, if you feel that there were any specific problems preventing you from cancelling your appointments.
If, after the 4-week grace period, you have not made contact with the surgery, we will arrange for you to be deducted from the practice register as a result of your failure to either attend or cancel three or more appointments within a consecutive 12-month time frame. You will be advised that the removal will be immediate, and therefore you must make arrangements to register at an alternative GP practice.
You will also be provided with information of how to register with an alternative GP surgery.