REVIEW DATE
NOV 2014
DID NOT ATTEND POLICY
INTRODUCTION
Approximately 120 appointments per month are ‘Did Not Attend’ (DNA), i.e. the patient
does not turn up for the appointment and does not contact the surgery in advance to
cancel/change appointment. The effect of these are:



An increase in the waiting time for appointments
Frustration for both staff and patients
A waste of resources
Also see Removal of Patient from List [*] for up to date procedural guidelines.
POLICY:
If a patient fails to attend a pre-booked appointment a 1st DNA letter will be sent to the
patient, advising them that a further occurrence could risk removal from the Practice. (see
Appendix I)
If the patient fails to attend another (2nd) appointment within a six month period of the 1st
DNA, a 2nd DNA letter will be sent to the patient advising them that a further occurrence
could risk removal from the Practice.
If the patient fails to attend another (3rd ) appointment within a six month period the matter
will be discussed at a Practice Meeting with the patients registered and regular gp present,
and a decision taken as to whether to remove the patient from our list of patients. A 3rd
DNA letter will then be sent to the patient advising them the matter has been discussed at a
Practice Meeting, and a decision taken to remove the patient from our list of patients.
New Patients
All newly registered patients must attend a new patient medical with the practice nurse, if
the patient DNA’s this appointment they will be automatically removed from the practice list.
Warning letters are valid for a period of 12 months. Removal based on warnings greater
than 12 months old will be invalid – in this case a further formal warning and period of grace
will be required.
REVIEW DATE
NOV 2014
Regent House Surgery
21 REGENT ROAD
CHORLEY
PR7 2DH
Dr Mark Savage
Dr Mark Sloan
«Place»
Dr Karen Marsden
Dr Gillian Brennan
Dr Richard Brown
Telephone: 01257 264842 Fax 01257 231387
e-mail cl-pct.RegentHouse Surgery@nhs.net
www.regenthousesurgery.co.uk - Sue Jezzard – Practice Manager
Dear
REF: NON-ATTENDANCE OF APPOINTMENTS MADE AT REGENT HOUSE SURGERY
On checking our records, it would appear that you failed to attend an appointment booked for
(insert date) without letting us know. This may have been an oversight on your part but I
need to bring to your attention that the practice now has a policy regarding missed
appointments and I enclose an explanation leaflet for you to explain the procedure.
There are increasing pressures upon all doctors and nurses to reduce their waiting times and
increase patient access to clinicians. An average of 40 appointments are wasted each week
due to patients not giving us notice that they would not be attending appointments. In
addition, nursing and administrative time is wasted where records and/or equipment needs
advance preparation.
We would appreciate it, if you know you cannot attend an appointment, that you cancel it as
early as possible. You can contact us by telephone 01257 264842.
If we have misunderstood the circumstances of your missed appointment please accept our
apologies.
Sincerely
Mrs S Jezzard
Practice Manager
REVIEW DATE
NOV 2014
Regent House Surgery
21 REGENT ROAD
CHORLEY
PR7 2DH
Dr Mark Savage
Dr Mark Sloan
Dr Karen Marsden
Dr Gillian Brennan
Dr Richard Brown
Telephone: 01257 264842 Fax 01257 231387
e-mail cl-pct.RegentHouseSurgery@nhs.net
www.regenthousesurgery.co.uk - Sue Jezzard – Practice Manager
Dear
REF: NON-ATTENDANCE OF APPOINTMENTS MADE AT REGENT HOUSE SURGERY
On checking our records, it would appear that you failed to attend a second appointment
booked for without letting us know. You have already received one letter with regards to
your first missed appointment on
For the sake of all of our patients there is a need to ensure that doctor and nurse
appointments are not wasted. We would appreciate it, if you know you cannot attend an
appointment, that you cancel it as early as possible.
You can contact us by telephone 01257 264842
The doctors intend to monitor missed appointments in the future and where people
persistently fail to either cancel or attend appointments, we may find that there is no
alternative but to remove them from our list.
Sincerely
Sue Jezzard
Pratice Manager
REVIEW DATE
NOV 2014
Regent House Surgery
21 REGENT ROAD
CHORLEY
PR7 2DH
Dr Mark Savage
Dr Mark Sloan
Dr Karen Marsden
Dr Gillian Brennan
Dr Richard Brown
Telephone: 01257 264842 Fax 01257 231387
e-mail cl-pct.RegentHouseSurgery@nhs.net
www.regenthousesurgery.co.uk - Sue Jezzard – Practice Manager
Dear
REF: NON-ATTENDANCE OF APPOINTMENTS MADE AT REGENT HOUSE SURGERY
On checking our records, it would appear that you failed to attend a third appointment
booked for
without letting us know. You have already received two
letters with regards to your first and second missed appointments on
In accordance with our policy, and in the light of your repeated non-attendance (and failure
to offer a satisfactory explanation) we have reluctantly decided to have you removed from
our practice list.
The Lancashire and South Cumbria Agency will contact you about finding another practice to
register with. They can be contacted on 01772 221444, or contact Chorley & South Ribble
PCT their PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) on 01772 644400
NHS Direct on 0845 4647 is available 24 hours a day to give advice on medical matters.
Sincerely
Sue Jezzard
Pratice Manager
REVIEW DATE
NOV 2014
Regent House Surgery
21 REGENT ROAD
CHORLEY
PR7 2DH
Dr Mark Savage
Dr Mark Sloan
Dr Karen Marsden
Dr Gillian Brennan
Dr Richard Brown
Telephone: 01257 264842 Fax 01257 231387
e-mail cl-pct.RegentHouseSurgery@nhs.net
Dr Stephen Edwards
www.regenthousesurgery.co.uk - Sue Jezzard – Practice Manager
Dear
Dr Mark Savage
Dr Mark Sloan
Dr Karen Marsden
Dr Gillian Brennan
REF: NON-ATTENDANCE OF APPOINTMENTS MADE AT REGENT HOUSE SURGERY
On checking our records, it would appear that you failed to attend an appointment booked for
your new patient medical on
without letting us know.
In accordance with our policy it is mandatory for all new patients to attend a new patient
health check. In the light of your non-attendance (and failure to offer a satisfactory
explanation) we have reluctantly decided to have you removed from our practice list.
The Lancashire and South Cumbria Agency will contact you about finding another practice to
register with. They can be contacted on 01772 221444, or contact Chorley & South Ribble
PCT their PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) on 01772 644400
NHS Direct on 0845 4647 is available 24 hours a day to give advice on medical matters.
Sincerely
Sue Jezzard
Pratice Manager
REVIEW DATE
NOV 2014
PLEASE NOTE
Due to an increase in the number of wasted
appointments through patient’s failing to attend
without informing the surgery it has become
necessary to implement the following policy:
If you repeatedly fail to attend
appointments you may be removed from
this practice list and will have to find an
alternative doctor.
If you cannot attend your appointments for any
reason please let us know as soon as possible, we
can then offer the appointment to someone else.
Thank you for your co-operation
Regent House Surgery
REVIEW DATE
NOV 2014
PLEASE NOTE
Due to an increase in the number of wasted
appointments through patient’s failing to attend
without informing the surgery it has become
necessary to implement the following policy:
New Patients
All newly registered patients must attend a
new patient medical with the practice
nurse.
If the patient DNA’s this appointment they
will be automatically removed from the
practice list.
Regent House Surgery
REVIEW DATE
NOV 2014
MISSED APPOINTMENTS
DUE TO THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS FAILING TO
ATTEND FOR THEIR APPOINTMENT THIS MAY
MEAN THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE
DOCTOR ON THE DAY THAT YOU WISH TO.
IN AN ATTEMPT TO TRY AND RESOLVE THIS THE
PRACTICE HAS DEVELOPED THE FOLLOWING
POLICY.
IF YOU FAIL TO ATTEND APPOINTMENTS
WITHOUT INFORMING US WE WILL WRITE TO
YOU ASKING IF THERE ARE ANY SPECIFIC
PROBLEMS PREVENTING YOU FROM LETTING US
KNOW.
IF YOU REPEATEDLY FAIL TO ATTEND FOR
APPOINTMENTS YOU MAY BE REMOVED FROM
THE PRACTICE LIST AND HAVE TO FIND AN
ALTERNATIVE GP PRACTICE.