DID NOT ATTEND (DNA) POLICY & INFORMATION
What is a DNA?
A DNA (Did Not Attend) is defined as a patient not attending an appointment with any member of the team without cancelling the appointment at least 20 minutes prior to the appointment.
On average there are more than 102 (as of March 2024) DNA’d appointments every month in this practice alone. This is the equivalent to 17.5 hours or 1.75 working days. By increasing awareness of this problem and enforcing our policy we aim to reduce the number of DNA’s to:
- Reduce the number of wasted appointments
- Reduce waiting times
- Provide a prompt service to those who need it
- Reduce pressures on clinical and admin staff who are unable to offer prompt appointments
- Reduce health risks to patients.
ACTION:
Stage 1 – 1st DNA – Contact is made with the patient (text or letter) to raise awareness and share this policy.
Stage 2 – 2nd DNA within 6 months of the last – First warning (text or letter) sent to patient along with a copy of this policy
Stage 3 – 3rd DNA within 6 months of the second – Final letter sent to the patient and a copy of this policy.
Stage 4 – 4th DNA within 12 months of the last – Letter sent to Lothian Health Board to have the patient removed from our practice list.
We appreciate that on occasions there are special circumstances which may result in a DNA – eg Dementia / hospital admission etc. Please inform reception if you think this applies to you and the practice will take this into consideration but may still record the DNA but not take any action on the first instance.
Updated April 2024