Hospital calling regarding appointment- worrying?

[VienneseFingers]

Back last summer, I saw my GP about an unpleasant but not serious condition. She referred me and I saw a consultant in November and had a scan just over 2 weeks ago to confirm diagnosis. So no hurry up until now.

This week, I have received a letter from the hospital for a consultant appointment early next week (so 3 weeks post scan) in an envelope marked "urgent", a text message reminder of my appointment and, very weirdly, a call from the hospital at 8pm last night checking that I had received the letter.

Should I be worried?? When I saw the consultant the first time, I never got a call to check I had received the appointment letter.

It might be they have a new system to help stop missed appointments to save money. My hospital sends text reminders and sometimes I get a call, but not always.

Hospitals do this to reduce non attenders .
I was called for mine- don't worry

You are being given an appointment at quite short notice so it could be that the main aim is to make sure you can attend so it is not a wasted appointment.

I've had loads of hospital appts recently due to a broken hand and detached retina, both needing surgery. I get letters, calls and text messages telling me that the average missed appt costs the hospital £128.

They're really trying to make sure every appt is fully booked and non attendance is reduced.

You can't read anything into this. They just want to make sure you are going to turn up and not waste the appointment.

Thanks all. It was just weird being called at night by the hospital.

I think I will probably still worry until I've had the appointment, but only a little tiny bit after your reassurance that it's normal.

Normal they are trying to reduce financial loss due to non attendance. Also at a Trust I worked agency staff were used to ring people in the early evening on the basis that is when most people are home and are likely to be free to talk/rearrange an appointment.