DNA Policy

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Introduction to 'Did Not Attend' appointments

'Did Not Attend' (DNA) is when the patient does not turn up for a pre-booked GP appointment and does not contact the surgery in advance to cancel/change appointment. Many valuable appointment slots are missed every month i.e. the patient does not turn up for the appointment and does not contact the surgery in advance to cancel/change the appointment. The effect of these are:

• An increase in the waiting time for appointments
• Frustration for both staff and patients
• A waste of resources
• A potential risk to the health of the patient

Our objectives

• To free up appointments for those who genuinely need them
• To reduce the waste of clinical time
• To reduce the pressure on all staff in being able to offer prompt appointments

How to avoid becoming a DNA

If you cannot attend or no longer need an appointment, please ring us in advance. Any appointment cancelled within 2 hours of the appointment time will be marked as a DNA, as these appointments are unlikely to be booked by another patient at such short notice.

Our surgery policy

If a patient fails to attend a pre-booked GP appointment on more than one occasion in the last 6 months, they will receive an informal warning letter advising them how to cancel or change their appointment if needed.

If the patient fails to attend another pre-booked GP appointment within 6 months of receiving the informal letter, a formal warning letter will be sent reminding them that a further recurrence may result in them being removed from the practice list.

Failure to attend one further pre-booked GP appointment will result in the patient being invited in to meet with the Practice Manager to discuss the reasons for non-attendance. If patient's do not attend this meeting their name will be added to a list of patients' who may be removed due to failure to attend appointments.  The partners will discuss, taking into consideration all relevant information and make a decision which may result in removal from the practice list.

Warning letters are valid for a period of 6 months.

Cancelling an appointment

Patients may cancel an appointment in the following ways:

• Directly face to face with reception staff or clinician
• Via the telephone by speaking to a member of staff (a family member or friend or advocate can call on your behalf if for any reason you are unable to do so yourself).