Missed appointments policy

We understand that sometimes circumstances change and you may no longer need your appointment. If this happens, please contact the practice as soon as possible so we can offer the appointment to another patient.

When appointments are missed without notice, it affects other patients who may urgently need care. To keep our services running effectively, we operate the following policy.

• If you fail to attend three pre-booked appointments within a 12-month period, we will send you an informal warning letter explaining the impact of missed appointments and advising that further instances may place your registration at risk.
• If you miss a fourth appointment, you will receive a formal warning letter.
• If you then miss a fifth appointment within the same 12-month period, you may be removed from the practice list, and we will write to inform you of this decision.

How Long Warnings Last

Warning letters remain valid for 12 months. If your warnings have expired, the process resets and will begin again from the formal warning stage if further appointments are missed.

Late Arrival to Appointments

To help clinics run smoothly, please aim to arrive a few minutes before your appointment time.

Late Attendance Rules

• If you arrive more than 5 minutes after your appointment start time, you will be recorded as having missed the appointment.
• In some situations, the clinician may still be able to see you, but this is entirely at the clinician’s discretion and depends on the schedule for the day.

Why Late Arrivals Cause Problems

Allowing late arrivals to be seen can lead to:

• Delays for other patients who arrived on time.
• Increased pressure on clinicians.
• Reduced time to deliver safe, high-quality care.

Thank you for helping us provide the best possible service to all patients.