Dealing with ‘do not attends’

A trust at which one in 10 outpatients don’t turn up for appointments has been launching initiatives to try to deal with the problem.

Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust (LCH) says the problem is costing thousands of staff hours and wasting precious appointment time.

Trust chair Frances Molloy said: “Do not attends (DNAs) are a major problem costing us thousands of staff hours and using up precious appointment time, which could be used to service other outpatients who need clinical support.”

It has introduced flexible appointment times, is sending out reminders to outpatients when their appointment is due and has tried to cut back on unnecessary appointments.

Molloy said: “We are determined to cut the costs of DNAs and the impact these have on outpatient appointments. The service has implemented initiatives such as reducing unnecessary appointments where patients are likely not to turn up, making it easier for patients to make and cancel appointments and offering reminders about appointments both by post and text.

“These measures have been very effective in cutting DNAs for some services, but there is only so much we can do. We are relying on the public to help support us, by either attending appointments or if they can’t, letting us know in advance.”