Make sure you cancel appointments
We are constantly told how many people do not turn up, or cancel appointments and I have seen it repeatedly whilst waiting in my GP surgery or at hospitals but I am now quite suspicious of why this happens as often as it is stated. Wasting so much NHS time and money.
A few days ago I received a letter regarding a scan that my GP had requested at a large London Hospital (according to the correspondence).
I felt this was rather strange but as I was due to see my GP I thought I would ask why she had done this. As far as I was aware I was not requiring a scan and certainly not at a hospital so far away from where I live! I took the letter to my appointment.
My GP looked at the letter, seemed confused and took the next few minutes searching through my records to find out who, when and where anybody had requested this appointment from my surgery. No such record existed.
So, since then I have been trying to get through to the hospital to ‘cancel’ the appointment I never needed, was never requested and would be a waste of NHS resources .
Left on hold in a virtual queue, the phone line then announces I am no 4 in the queue and after fifteen minutes then cuts off. Phoning back I get the message “we have no agents available to take your call”
Efficient? Professional?
A few days ago I received a letter regarding a scan that my GP had requested at a large London Hospital (according to the correspondence).
I felt this was rather strange but as I was due to see my GP I thought I would ask why she had done this. As far as I was aware I was not requiring a scan and certainly not at a hospital so far away from where I live! I took the letter to my appointment.
My GP looked at the letter, seemed confused and took the next few minutes searching through my records to find out who, when and where anybody had requested this appointment from my surgery. No such record existed.
So, since then I have been trying to get through to the hospital to ‘cancel’ the appointment I never needed, was never requested and would be a waste of NHS resources .
Left on hold in a virtual queue, the phone line then announces I am no 4 in the queue and after fifteen minutes then cuts off. Phoning back I get the message “we have no agents available to take your call”
Efficient? Professional?
