Did not attend - DNA Policy
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.
Since June 2017 2320 patients failed to attend their appointments over a 12 month period.
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 two or more appointments within a twelve 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, the patient will receive a further letter informing them that their DNAs have been brought to the attention of the practice manager.
If there is another unattended appointment within 12 months of the second letter, the patient will be discussed at the Partners Meeting and unless there are any clinical reasons not to do so, the patient will be removed from the practice list for 6 months.
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.