Missed Appointments Policy

Mansfield Medical Centre - Did Not Attend (DNA) Policy

Introduction

At Mansfield Medical Centre, we strive to provide high-quality care to all our patients. Attending scheduled appointments is crucial to ensure that we can deliver timely and efficient healthcare services. Missed appointments, also known as "Did Not Attend" (DNA), have significant consequences not only for the patient who misses the appointment but also for other patients, the practice, and the NHS as a whole.

Importance of Attending Appointments

1. Limited Appointment Availability: The availability of appointments is a limited resource. When an appointment is missed, it cannot be used by another patient and this has a major impact on provision of healthcare by the practice.
2. Cost to the NHS: Missed GP appointments cost the NHS around £216 million annually. Approximately 15 million GP appointments are missed every year across the UK.
3. Impact on Other Patients: By missing an appointment, a patient denies another person the opportunity to be seen by a healthcare professional, potentially delaying necessary care.

How to cancel or rearrange my appointment:

If you are unable to attend an appointment please let us know as soon as possible prior to the appointment. 

1. If you have received an appointment reminder message you can cancel using the link on the text.

2. alternatively please call and speak to reception on 024 76 457551 (please do not leave a message with the patchs telephone assistant for this purpose). 

3. You can cancel your appointment using a patchs request (or patchs telephone assistant), however only if this is more than 2 hours prior to the appointment start time.

Missed Appointment Protocol

1. First Missed Appointment:

• Notification: Patients who miss their first appointment will be sent a text message advising them of the missed appointment and inform them of the practice DNA policy.

2. Second Missed Appointment (Within 6 Months):

• Notification: If a second appointment is missed within a 6-month period, the patient will be sent a second text message. This message will reiterate the importance of attending appointments, note that this is the second missed appointment, and warn that a further missed appointment within the next 6 months may result in the patient being asked to find another GP surgery.

3. Third Missed Appointment (Within 6 Months of the Second):

• Notification: If a third appointment is missed within 6 months of the second, the patient will be sent a final text message and a letter. The communication will inform the patient that due to repeated missed appointments, they will be removed from the practice list. They will have 28 days to find an alternative GP surgery. The letter will also provide details on how to register with a new GP practice.

Clinical Judgement and Exceptional circumstances

We understand that there may be valid reasons for missing appointments, such as hospitalisation or as a consequence certain medical conditions like dementia. In such cases, clinical judgement will be applied before any decision is made to remove a patient from the practice list. We are committed to ensuring that vulnerable patients are not unfairly penalised under this policy.

Patients are encouraged to communicate with the practice if there are any circumstances that might affect their ability to attend scheduled appointments so that appropriate support and accommodations can be made.

Summary

Mansfield Medical Centre is dedicated to providing the best possible care for all our patients. We ask for your cooperation in attending scheduled appointments or cancelling in advance if you are unable to attend. This will help us manage our resources effectively and ensure that all patients have access to the care they need.

Thank you for your understanding and support in this matter.