Our Appointments – What to Expect
We want to help you get the most from your care. This means working together and making sure appointments are used well.
Before your appointment
- We will send you a text message with the date, time, and place
- You will get a reminder 48 hours before
- You can check your appointment details at any time
What we expect from you
- Please attend your appointment on time
- If you cannot come, please let us know as soon as you can. We understand that last minute problems occur, but if you give less than 24 hours notice, we will class this as a missed appointment.
- If your appointment is by phone, please make sure you are available to answer
If you cannot attend (UTA)
If you let us know in advance (more than 24 hours):
- We will rearrange your appointment
- This will not affect your care
If you miss an appointment (DNA)
A DNA means you did not attend and did not tell us in advance.
If this happens when:
First appointment in the service missed
- If you miss your very first appointment, you will be discharged back to your referrer (GP or other clinician)
- You will need a new referral to come back to the service
Follow-up appointments / reassessments missed
- We will send you a letter
- You will have 3 weeks to contact us
- If you get in touch in this time, we will rebook you
If you do not contact us within 3 weeks:
- We will inform your GP you have DNA your appointments and been discharged. BUT, you can refer yourself back to us at any time without needing another referral.
Repeated missed appointments
- If you miss 2 appointments in a row, you may be discharged from the service
- You can come back later, but only if you commit to attending future appointments
A few helpful things to know
- We allow a short time if you are late (for example, due to traffic)
- For phone appointments, we will try calling you more than once if needed
- Please make sure your contact details are up to date
Our promise to you
- We will give you clear information about your appointments
- We will send reminders
- We will treat you with care and respect
- We will support you to stay engaged with your treatment
Why this matters
Missed appointments mean:
- Longer waiting times for everyone
- Delays in your care
By working together, we can make sure you get the best possible support.
