Non-attendance Policy

Non-attendance Policy

When patients do not attend their booked appointment at the allotted time, it wastes that appointment when it could have been utilised by another patient. 

If you know that you are not going to be able to attend your appointment, please give us reasonable notice, at least 30 minutes prior to your appointment, so that your appointment slot can be offered to someone else. If you know that you are running late but think you can still make it, please phone us in case we are still able to accommodate you.

We recognise that sometimes patients miss their appointments and weren't able to notify us in advance because of a very good reason. We also recognise that it is rare for very good reasons for lateness or non-attendance to occur repeatedly and we require even patients who are having significant problems themselves to show respect for our time.

Therefore, we have a three chances rule for appointment attendance. After a third appointment not attended we will usually recommend to the health board that you are removed from our practice list. You will be notified in writing that you have thirty calendar days to make alternative arrangements for your primary medical care.