Dear Patients,
We are now experiencing a number of patients not arriving for their appointment or not answering their telephone for an appointment despite being called 2/3 different times, or not responding when we are trying to book you an appointment. This means other Patients are missing out on an appointment or are delayed for an appointment.
We are also experiencing individuals using all methods to book an appointment on the same day, which means that three staff are dealing with one patient for the same booking on a day or ahead. This is not fair to patients who use one method to contact us for an appointment and it is stopping two staff from dealing with other patients on the phone, in person or online. Please choose ONE way of contacting us on the day to book one.
We are very clear how you can book an appointment – in person, on the phone, on the website or using SystmOne appointment self booking. We always let you know online or on the phones if all the available appointments are gone for the day. We hold back clinic appointments for all methods of contact so they are available in all methods of contacting us for an appointment, so please trust us by using one method.
The biggest impact is those making future appointments, they are very often nursing appointments – this affects those that need wound dressing on a short notice basis and we are then having to ask the nurses stay later or work more than is safe to accommodate the patient, who has a need when others do not cancel their appointment, we could have given them that slot.
It also impacts vaccine appointments. The vaccines are not always kept in stock. We only keep a very limited number due to expiry dates and maintaining fridge temperatures and cold chain. This is especially important with flu and covid bookings. We have to order flu almost a year in advance – this is a gamble as we never know how many of you will want it and we have to pay for it from the Practice funds. If we reserve you a flu vaccine and you don’t turn up and we can’t use it at a later date for someone else, we do not get reimbursed for the lost vaccine.
Covid is ordered now for the appointments that are made, so if you do not arrive or you do not have the vaccine, it is wasted. This is money wasted for the NHS and the appointment and vaccine could have been given to someone else that day.
All we are asking for is for you to give us notice if you cannot attend an appointment, and if you do not want something such as a vaccination – you must let us know please as we will have ordered it for you personally.
The quickest way to cancel an appointment is online through this website using the https://www.mickleovermedicalcentre.co.uk/navigator/cancel-an-appointment-page/
If you can’t use it, then please call the day before or more, between 11 and 2 as usually it is the quieter time of the day to receive calls to the Practice.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article about missed appointments and impacts to others. Together we can make more appointments more accessible and be more responsive to needs of the patient base.
Mickleover Medical Centre.