To think that if you cancel on the day with the NHS, you should be put to the bottom of the list?

E-referrals is the national platform so that's why I asked what kind of appointments you're referring to? Do you mean a consultant appointment? Diagnostics? Surely you get a conversation requires you to clarify what point you're making.

And no of course they don't let you select any day and time you like hence why loads of patients on these services end up on lists requiring a phonecall because they cancel the appointment booked for them and don't rebook leaving a message that "they can't see any suitable appointments".

YANBU in any sort of private appointment you're charged if you cancel within 24hrs or don't turn up. I've just been in the GP surgery and the poster on the wall says 3.5 days worth of appointments were "no shows" last months. That's ridiculous!

I agree if a practical way of doing this could be done. Certainly if no contact is made to cancel the appointment.

I do think though that if people were not kept waiting so much when attending medical appointments there would be more willingness for people to cancel in advance. There is very much a culture of your time is less important than mine.

For almost every appointment I’ve had since June they’ve sent text reminders and called me on two occasions the day before to check I was attending.

I have severe medical trauma due to a huge amount of difficult and painful surgery as a child. I'm usually fine with anything medical - well not absolutely fine but I manage them with diazepam and self talk - and I have had a fair amount of unrelated things needing medical help
However, I was due to have a biopsy not long ago and on the morning I simply could not go - I had a major panic attack and had no choice but to postpone. I felt absolutely rubbish leaving it so late but luckily, everyone was very kind and understanding and I managed to get it done a few weeks later.
It isn't as simple as being a bit scared and not bothering, for some people

I think the point is the scale of the cancellations and no shows. It seems to be unlikely that that many people have sudden unavoidable reasons to not attend appointments at such short notice. Most people posting on here would probably not miss an appointment if the could possibly avoid doing so, but there seem to be a lot who really don't care and don't realise they are contributing to long waiting lists.

I've had several letters arrive after appointments. There are so many reasons why someone may not attend..that you may not be party too. As hospitals often cancel routine surgery due to emergencies, I think it often works out even. If someone cancels due to "nerves" they haven't been properly prepared for surgery have they? I'm awaiting surgery ..working full time..its been cancelled several times...one time I was asked to come on a date I'd arranged a big work event (days notice)...I couldn't...I needed to protect my long time future in work...I'd given work 3 previous dates for urgent surgery that were then cancelled by the hospital. I'm a former NHS employee.. these things are FAR more complicated than you seem to be aware. Sometimes a patient is already in hospital ELSEWHERE seriously...if you had the time to review DNAs there would be many legitimate reasons. Please don't cultivate a judgemental attitude that's the last thing the NHS needs

At a recent cardiology appointment they were thanking me for turning up which I found strange. They said they have no shows every single day.

As it happens the persons before and after me didn’t turn up so she was able to ring her colleague and get the ball rolling for me a little bit faster as she used the time to do that and called me with the update.

Maybe the NHS could stop sending out appointments to my dead father. I have told them so many times.

The number of wasted appointments is ridiculous.

There’s a lot that both patients and the health service could do it to reduce it.

My private physio - I get written confirmation of the appointment booking after it’s made (email or letter, opt which format when register).

I then get an email reminder 3 days beforehand, including reminding that any cancellation within 48 hours incurs charges. And another reminder the day before.

I can cancel and rebook through the online system.

NHS physio sends appointments by letter, that sometimes arrive after the appointment. To cancel or rearrange requires magical powers of phone timing. I’ve been a no show despite being determined to go, because the appointment letter arrived two days after the appointment.

'It's 2025. Wanting to be able to book online is not a big ask.'

Couldn't agree more. The amount of patient communication that happens by letter is just utterly bananas

I can see both sides here. I work in the NHS too and I agree with OP that the public have no clue how much work goes on behind the scenes to set up clinics, arrange room bookings, book patients in, organise clinicians schedules, etc. Staff are often using clunky, maddening, antiquated systems which are totally inefficient. It is so disheartening when patients cancel last minute, or even just don't show up. It means a huge amount of wasted time

Of course, I'm also a patient and i understand that sometimes things just happen and life gets in the way. And I've certainly had experience of appointments being cancelled by the NHS last minute or v late, and sometimes being rescheduled for a time that just isn't convenient for you. No one in the system feels valued or fairly treated, staff or patients

Surely you don't think the entire NHS is the same as your local area and surely you don't think only booking systems will allow you to put in any day or time you like? Surely!

Yes to this and to @gamerchick’s point above.

And I’d like the digital cancellation/postponement systems of hospitals to actually work; and not to fail every bloody time due to lack of communication with the relevant departments.

And I’d like PALS to acknowledge that these digital systems don’t work and step in, not let patients be sent shitty letters and bumped back to their GPs for ‘DNA crimes’ they didn’t commit.

I have an appointment next week at the hospital which I am incredibly nervous about. Will attend though. But my nerves have come from no one explaining about the procedure and that for some women it can be incredibly painful for. I was told by the hospital no different from a smear, but having spoken to others, and reading other women's experiences know that while that might be true for some women, some need a ga.

perhaps the hospital staff should be a lot more open and honest about these things and acknowledge that people will be worried

But most services I mean pretty much all GP referrals to secondary care are on the e-referral platform where patients can reschedule themselves..what kind of appointments are you referring to? Surely you understand that (most) specialist appointments or diagnostics require you to be seen by a specific person or have a test within a certain timeframe that it makes sense that the service books you in and you attend (unless you really have to reschedule) rather than endless open referrals awaiting patients to book an appointment when they feel like it?

Really depends on the individual circumstances and what people are cancelling on. A lot of people’s conditions deteriorate over the long time it takes to even get an appointment - they may have days where they can’t even get out of the house. It’s frustrating especially in the dental setting where we see patients no-showing emergency appointments (that they have made that day!) but everyone has a reason.

Well that argument goes both ways.....3 times my DP has had appointments cancelled with no reason given....maybe he should charge the NHS for wasting his time.

Missed appointments at hospitals are often not down to patients, but down to commincation failures by the nhs. Letters that don't get sent either electronically or digitally or by phone.

Attended hospital today for one appointment completly unaware they had also booked me in for a nurses appointment which they were about to mark me as absent for. The consultant asked how I got on at the nurses appointment my blank look was a giveaway obviously. Thankfully they were able to squeeze me in as I had been in early.

If they were paying , and would be charged for a cancellation you’d be surprised how many people would make an effort to go. Also NHS admin peopel are paid a pittance work work extremely hard , due to recruitment freezes doing the work of two people with shit outdated IT equipment .

"Most services" - citation needed. None of the services I use have that facility.

It's 2025. Wanting to be able to book online is not a big ask.

Most services (if pretty generic) do let you reschedule your appointment online, but obviously if you need to see a certain clinician then it makes sense that the hospital staff would allocate you an appointment rather than you self booking. It's not that much to ask to have to call within a certain set of hours to reschedule given you hopefully don't often need to reschedule - I mean it's an appointment for your health in a system we all know is massively stretched, unless you're out of the country or completely unavailable just adjust your plans and prioritise your appointment.

Nerves are a real thing though. The nerves I feel before the dentist are unreal I’ve sometimes planned to have someone go with me to find they can’t no longer on that day. Also if it’s anything more than just a talking appointment I think it’s fair people can have a change of heart if they want to right up until the last minute. But yes just not turning up for the appointment on the day because you can’t be bothered when people are on long waiting lists is totally unfair and wrong x

Judging

I think OP has a point. I remember needing dental work and every time the booking came up I would cancel due to nerves.

On my 3rd time cancelling the dentist spoke to me about the potential about being put to sleep or having someone with me to calm my nerves and that every time someone no shows or cannot come due to nerves it means someone else has missed out on the opportunity to be seen.

To me it was valid to cancel, but I think it does put pressure on the nhs and to others who desperately want to be seen too

Yes, this.

What are they cancelling?

Maybe there's a way to lessen their fear of it? Information, preparation?