10 missed calls from private health company

[londontoibiza]

I booked a private MRI scan a week ago. I have gone through the screening questionnaire on the phone when I booked the scan. All good.

In the past week I have had 10 missed calls from them - at first it was “calling regarding my referral”, now they’re “calling to confirm I’ll be attending”.

As a rule I don’t answer my phone to an unknown number unless I’m expecting a call. If they leave a voicemail, I’ll call back when I’ve verified their number.

AIBU to think 10 calls in 7 days is excessive? I’ve paid, I’m suitable for the scan and I will be attending tomorrow. Surely they don’t need to be in constant contact with me?

Can I ask why you don’t just call them an confirm you are attending? I imagine they have a robust checking system to avoid people wasting precious appointments by being no shows

It’s not an NHS scan, if I don’t attend they keep my £360 so no problem there.

I just really object to the unreasonable number of calls. 10 in a week is too many. I did actually call them back at one point and ask them to stop calling me as I had the scan booked and will be attending. I don’t see why I need to confirm my whereabouts like a child. I’m an adult. I have an appointment, I will attend it.

Yes its excessive and I've had something similar re an appointment at the eye hospital for a routine check.

But I would imagine they have so many arseholes who don't show up or cancel but because they've paid expect to still get the scan when they want.

Just answer your phone the first time then they probably won't need to keep phoning back! You should have recognised the number by the second time,.

I don’t understand why you aren’t answering the phone when you know you’ve got an upcoming appointment and it’s probably not cold calling or randoms. Two of my ongoing medical things come up as No Caller ID so I assume it’s them. Timewasters usually are flagged as Suspected Spam.

If it was NHS I’d agree wholeheartedly and make more of an effort to call back. But it’s private - all that happens if I don’t attend is they’ve made £360 without having to scan me and report on it.

I don’t have a Samsung so it’s not flagged as suspected spam.

I really object to having to confirm it like a child. I’m an adult. I have a commitment so I will be attending it. They should trust that.

But actually in the private sector waits are getting much longer as more people are using the private sector. It's 3 months to see a specialist privately in Edinburgh for some specialities. So yes they get your money but they could give that slot to someone else if you cancelled it. (I know you're going to go but people don't and it's really frustrating if you could have given that slot to someone else.)

But if you didn’t attend you would still be taking up an appointment time that somebody else could have used.

It’s not hard. Answer your phone and say you’ll attend.

Why are you being obtuse ? They are providing private health care yes but it is still a medical appointment that they are reminding you of because they have to make sure you are coming and you are not answering your phone so of course they are going to keep ringing you. Yabu

I’m an adult, I’ve made an appointment, their expectation should be that I will attend. The level of distrust isn’t normal or acceptable.

Why would they assume I won’t attend?

I don’t have a Samsung, I have an iPhone

But a lot of NHS places do this they advertise that a missed appointment costs £££ my dentist always texts me to confirm I’m coming even though I’ve made the appointment. It’s just something that they do so they can offer appointments to other people if you aren’t going to attend.

Adults can usually answer phone without a temper tantrum!

This isn’t an NHS appointment.

I object to them essentially saying I’m unreliable.

OP you're acting like because you have paid that you can do as you like. I get you're annoyed, I get you feel like you're being treated like a Child but to be honest, you're acting like one refusing to answer your phone and confirm you'll be attending an appointment.

Just answer the phone and confirm your attendance.

It's not difficult and quicker than checking your messages and starting a thread on MN.🙄

I don’t need to confirm. I have made the appointment and I will be there. Why do they need to phone multiple times to confirm that?

what is the cancellation policy, could be that if you cancel within 24hrs your entitled to your money back & then it’s too short notice to get anyone else in.

I have 3 monthly CT and MRI scans on the NHS. They call every day starting 7 days before, sometimes twice a day, until I pick up and confirm. Sometimes I don’t because I am just not near my phone and honestly I don’t really care, my appointment is in the books regardless. You do just have to accept that’s the practice unless you’re going to confirm with them.

But I think the calling is normal for scans. Those slots are much sought after. You may not care if you lose money, but someone who is desperate for an urgent scan for a diagnosis would eat your arm for that slot, so they want to make sure you’re coming. You would be amazed how often people don’t turn up and it’s really annoying for those of us who depend on these scans because we have life threatening conditions.

@londontoibiza yes I know it’s not an NHS appointment but people no showing to medical appointments they’ve made happens All. The. Time. Presumably in the private sector also. It’s just ensuring that the clinic runs smoothly for everyone there and like I said they can offer that appointment out if you aren’t going to attend

Seems like common sense to me.

Often they need to go through health questions in advance with you and they will do that over the telephone

Nope. Cancellations 48 hours out are charged at full price.

I did that when I booked.