Did Not Attend Policy

DNA POLICY

Approximately 70 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 their appointment.  The effect of these are:

• An increase in the waiting time for appointments
• Frustration for both staff and patients
• A waste of resources

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOW IT WORKS

As of June 2010, 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 will be removed from the practice list.  This will happen when you fail to attend 3 appointments in a twelve-month period.

This applies to appointments booked with the doctor, practice nurse, healthcare assistant and phlebotomist.

PROCESS

• Patient DNA for 1^st appointment    –      1^st letter
• Patient DNA for 2^nd appointment    –     2^nd letter
• Patient DNA for 3^rd appointment    –    3^rd letter (removed from practice list)