Report on Survey of GP Did Not Attends (DNA)

Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire (HWNEL) heard from the local Patient Participation Group (PPG) about issues arising from patients not attending appointments and discussions as to whether financial sanctions should be introduced. HWNEL identified a need to carry out work collating Did Not Attend (DNA) activity across local GP practices, in order to compare data and highlight best practice.

HWNEL wrote to all GP practices in North East Lincolnshire asking them to share information, such as: amount of clinician time wasted, any trends in demographics of those who DNA, what steps practices take to tackle the issue and any initiatives that have proven effective at reducing DNA rates. Ten GP practices responded.

The report concludes that the use of text reminders and telephone calls in advance is common practice in dentistry and, while numbers of patients at GP surgeries are much greater, there is value in maintaining a high level of checking. HWNEL suggests that GP practices consider targeting certain groups such as younger people and parents of young children booked in, and making cancellation as easy as possible.

The report makes three recommendations:

1. Survey findings to be shared with local GP practices and that all practices consider whether additional information about the cost of non-attendance is included in their individual and general communications with patients.

2. To explore with the Clinical Commissioning Group whether a local poster campaign could be supported to further raise the profile of this issue.

3. That the Clinical Commissioning Group consider ways of promoting and encouraging consistent approaches to tackling patient non-attendance.

The report does not contain information regarding follow-up or impact.