Practice policy on missed or late cancelled appointments and failure to return for treatment
Missed or late cancelled appointments
- We do not charge NHS patients for missed or late cancelled dental appointments
- Late cancellation is defined as within 24 hours of the appointment.
- A fee for missed or late cancelled private appointments is at the discretion of the dentist, and is based on the cost of the surgery time lost.
- If patients fail to attend, or late cancel on 2 or more occasions within a 12 month period, their registration with the practice may be withdrawn.
- This is in line with the NHS Choices website which states that “if you miss NHS appointments, your dentist can decide not to offer you treatment in the future”
- This is at the discretion of the dentist, and can apply to both NHS and Private patients.
- If two or more appointments are missed or late cancelled, and the registration with the practice is to be withdrawn, a letter will be send advising the patient of this.
- This letter will also be sent to the area team, and a copy kept on file for future reference.
- The letter will contain details of the NHS England guidance on missed dental appointments.
- Any concerns or complaints by patients will be directed towards Emma Williamson, and the complaint procedure made known if required.
Failure to return for treatment
- Patients are encouraged to make appointments for any treatment required at the time of initial assessment.
- Patients with outstanding treatment will be contacted to make an appointment, first by phone call, then by letter.
- If an appointment is not scheduled within 1 month of the initial assessment, the treatment plan maybe closed.
- The actual treatment appointment, if made, does not have to be within 1 month, as long as an appointment is on the system.
- If no appointment is made after these further two attempts, the treatment plan can be closed, as the patient will be presumed to have failed to return.
- This will mean that anyone with an open course of NHS treatment, who have paid already for Band 1, will have to pay again for a new course of treatment (as the claim will have been sent off).
- They will therefore be charged more overall for their treatment.
- Private patients too may also be charged for a new examination.
- Both are at the discretion of the dentist.
- Our policy is in line with guidance on the NHS Choices website.
- Any concerns or complaints can be directed to Emma Williamson, and the complaint procedure will be made known if required.
Failure to correctly declare exemptions
- Patients are advised, by posters in the waiting rooms, that failure to correctly declare their exemption may result in a fine, along with having to pay the full charge of the treatment.
- Patients are therefore encouraged to correctly declare to staff, with proof, any exemptions they are entitled to.
- Patients are responsible for ensuring they declare thier exemptions correctly, Peasholm dental practice is not responsible for this declaration.