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

[SaltAirAndTheRust]

Unless you have a good reason of course!

I’ve just started and I’m in my first week, in this week we’ve had multiple cancel due to nerves or just not turning up. Seeing the amount of work that gets them to this point, it’s staggering! I just can’t get my head around it

Over the last few years I've had referrals/appointments with:

Diabetes specialist nurses
Diabetes consultants
Physiotherapy
Cardiology
Stroke clinic
Phlebotomy
Maxillio facial
Ophthalmology

Not a single one had any kind of online service. I got letters in the post with a date and time.

What dept are you in? Is it something horrible like colonoscopy or gynea?
I've never cancelled even when it's something awful.

I’ve missed outpatients appointments because I’ve been an inpatient. I suspect it’s quite common.

the ward staff won’t take you down to outpatients for it and there isn’t usually a cancellation system.

I think the NHS should introduce 'penalty fees' for last-minute cancellations and no-shows. Too many people abuse the "free" service and take appointments for granted.

Common sense would suggest that, but instead they prefer to bash the non attending patients, as if they were perfect themselves!

They are? My area sends a letter, at least one text, notification in the app and sometimes a phone call.

Both DH and I have had them for a painful condition and it has been agony to keep still in a position determined by the MRI operator, not what was bearable for us, for 45 minutes!

Ok well what about when a letter comes after the appointment date - what am I supposed to do? I got a letter this morning for a gynae appt last Friday.

I'm aware of that, of course. I wondered why pp was insulting NHS staff.

Not always. My gran literally got a letter with date on it that was the day after her appointment. Still puzzled about that one!

Then you dispute.

Its pretty fucking obvious what OP meant 🙄

I can see how frustrating this is , but driving someone in your personal car can lead to complications re insurance so many people and organisations advise against it. And presumable taking someone off their normal duties could have implications for staffing levels.

I'm not sure you're a good candidate for working in healthcare

A lot of letters arrive late because of our appalling postal service.

I haven’t have an annual routine outpatient apt otherwise they will discharge me and this is seen as best solution to stay on books. It’s telephone post Covid which is good as I literally take 2 mins.
The last apt was changed 3 times. I have the hospital account and get an alert and can log an and see letter changing apt but they also post letter, I can’t see anyway to say just electronic notifications fine. Huge waste of money.

They're terrified of the OP!

Yes, I haven't had any post delivered in the last 5 weeks, including some vital pet medication, that I've now had to pay twice for. The NHS can't keep relying on the postal service because, in many places, it's gone to shit (depsite the best efforts of my local posties, I must add, but they're so short-staffed it's just not happening).

When I had broken my leg and required hospital transport to get to follow up appointments, transport quite often didn't show up, didn't show up on time or didn't show up with the right number of personnel. Same with my very disabled mum.

You sound so caring and lovely.

The person OP was replying to was being deliberately goady, they weren't disagreeing with OP they were trying to put OP down. OP is not being aggressive to reply in a similar ilk

Can't stand posters who just pick apart the wording or grammar of a post. It's so tedious

Nope - only if it's isnt rescheduled within 28 days.

Thank you. We will put it behind us. Just as well I wasn’t there, as I might have pointed out a few things!

I assume your role is admin? Because if you were a HCP you would know health anxiety is a real thing. Maybe stick to your pay grade and just concentrate on posting the letters

I know.

That's why I've asked @Yelleryeller to explain what this e-platform is that they think all people with NHS hospital referrals should be using to manage their appointments...