Please attend your appointment or cancel it
Appointments at Feltwell Surgery are in high demand. If you cannot attend an appointment, you must let us know as soon as possible.
Every appointment that is missed without being cancelled is an appointment that could have been offered to another patient.
What is a DNA?
DNA means“Did Not Attend”. This is when a patient fails to attend a booked appointment without cancelling it beforehand.
We understand that occasionally there may be a genuine reason why an appointment is missed. However, repeatedly missing appointments without cancelling is not acceptable.
What happens if I repeatedly miss appointments?
Missed appointments will be recorded on your medical record.
If you repeatedly fail to attend appointments without cancelling:
- We may contact you about your missed appointments.
- Continued non-attendance may result in a formal review by the Practice.
- We will consider your individual circumstances and whether there are any health, disability, vulnerability, communication or safeguarding issues affecting your ability to attend.
- Where appointments continue to be missed without reasonable explanation, removal from the Practice list may be considered.
Removal would not be automatic and would only take place following appropriate review and in accordance with NHS requirements. We would notify you in writing if your dna rate becomes concerning. This reflects the process within our full practice policy.
Children and young people
For children, we use the term“Was Not Brought” rather than DNA because responsibility for attending usually rests with the parent or carer.
A child's missed appointment will be recorded and repeated missed appointments may be reviewed as a safeguarding matter. Our Safeguarding Lead may become involved where appropriate.
Please cancel if you cannot attend
You can cancel an appointment using the NHS App, through the cancellation facility provided with appointment reminders where available, or by contacting the surgery.
Please do not simply fail to attend. Even cancelling shortly before your appointment gives us an opportunity to offer it to somebody else.
If you book an appointment, please attend it. If you no longer need it, please cancel it.