AIBU - being charged whopping amount for missing appointment.

[NasiGoreng]

I've messed up and messed a private appointment with a GP this morning for my DC. It is not a major health issue, just something that needed doing for my DC. With all the rush back to school I totally forgot about it. It was one of those appointments made about 6 weeks ago due to availability.

Anyway, I just had a call from the hospital to tell me they will be charging me the full amount for missing the appointment. I kind of get this, but why the whole amount? Also, just looked at all the T&C's and it doesn't mention charging for no shows.

I know I am in the wrong, but to be charged the full amount? AIBU. It is a whopping 200 pounds!

You're paying for the slot. It’s up to you if you attend or not, but you still have to pay for it.

Paying 200 quid, actually it's 215 pounds to have a wart looked at is a complete piss take

I assume you knew the cost before you booked it?

If it doesn't have a cancellation policy, I'd pay half and see what happens.

there is not one bit of info about cancellation

But the point is that you didn't cancel - you just didn't turn up. If you'd cancelled they could have put someone else in the time slot, but you didn't cancel.

@Senseofself1 where's the logic in that? You can't just make an appointment (an appointment that someone else could have used and the doctor could've been paid), not show up, waste their time then complain that they want you to compensate for their time.

I understand them charging for it but if it's not in the terms and conditions and you wasn't warned about it, I would fight it.

Also, Thuja is good for warts, got rid of both mine and my daughters. You can buy it in Holland and Barrett.

There are no grounds whatsoever for fighting it. The OP didn’t even attempt to cancel.

I am going to pay it. However I think that from now on I am going to be a bit more forceful with my local GP surgery over a few matters. I shouldn't have to pay for this and other things I have paid privately for when my local GP fobbed me off. I feel like I am enabling the privatisation of the NHS.

My DD has regular consultant appointments and all the reminder texts say that each appointment costs the NHS £200 - I don’t think it’s unreasonable that a business would want to claim for similar costs?

The problem with the NHS is that it is ‘free’ except it really is not. Rent, electricity, equipment, staff, etc, etc all need to be paid for.

You booked it, you forgot, you pay - in full.

I think people who miss appointments on the NHS should pay as well, they need to set up an office to chase people. It would help pay for more staff.

May not be suitable for the OP, but you can get same-day videoconference 10-minute private GP appointments for £20-30 through places like PushDoctor.

I'd be very sceptical about anyone offering to cut out a viral wart- not recommended. Likely to cause scaring and wart will regrow anyway.

My local PCT send a text message confirming an appointment with a reminder two weeks before. It also elaborates a missed appointment costs the NHS £120. No idea if this is standard countrywide. £200 for a missed private appointment sounds about right tbh.

You didn't cancel. You no showed. YABU.

Very surprised at your GP OP. Surely this should be something they deal with.

I went to my GP with a large wart that I'd had for some time. No question, the GP booked me into the minor surgery clinic that he does and he removed it. It was less than 2 months from the time I first saw him to the time he removed it.

This is what a private NHS would look like.

There are only 2 recognised treatments for viral warts- the stuff you can buy in the chemist and paint on- need to do for 3-4 months at least (and daily) and cryotherapy- freezing. However GPs struggling to see actually unwell people are unsurprisingly stopping offering treating something that doesn't really need treating anyway. Not sure you will be able to get your NHS GP to do anything because there isn't anything else they can do (except more cryotherapy).

If the NHS did this too, they’d really start to turn things around.

Ah just seen the wart is viral. Different from the sort of wart I had.

Standard and I’m asking for the same from my own private patients.
The reason is simple. Someone came to be there for you and you dint turn up. They could have offered the place to someone else that would have appreciated it (see the 6 week wait). And there are too many people who think they can be flaky wo ever feeling the consequence of that. Having to pay makes people think twice in my experience. As it is doing for you. I’m sure you won’t forget the next time.

Yabu. Wish we could charge in nhs!!!! £200 is the going rate for private.

Yeah that’s the rate for a private consultation. Here in Ireland it can be upwards of €175 for 15/20 mins per appointment. They charge the full fee if 24 hrs notice hasn’t been given, 48 hours notice is some cases.

Btw, there is no difference between the (private part of the) NHS and local businesses.
Not turning up means someone else can’t be seen.
Not turning up means you took that practitioner and the whole service for granted. And show them no respect.
And yes it still has a cost and lack of income for that practice, NHS or not.

I'm not sure that I agree with this - at least for first offense.

It seems to me that this is a cost of running a business - that sometimes, work will fall through.

I think that if I was going to be charged 200 for missing an appointment, they had better be on time when I arrive - because it would be a bit rich fining me for being late, but not paying a penalty when they are!

Having said all this, I've used private health care in a few countries, and never had this problem - they've all been extremely accommodating when I've been 5 minutes late for whatever reason. I figured that was one of the reasons I was paying through the nose for these things.