1 February 2025
The Health and Social Care Portfolio (HSC) would like to remind patients of the need to cancel any appointments that they no longer need or cannot attend, preferably at least the day before the appointment.
Missed appointments cause considerable disruptions for other patients waiting to be seen by either a doctor or another health professional.
Cancelling in advance means we can offer that appointment to someone who may be waiting.
In December alone, an entire three days of appointments were missed with the physiotherapy service.
Amongst GP appointments as much as one week a month of appointments can be missed by people not cancelling. This contributes to longer waiting times for those waiting for an appointment.
Patients who miss two or more scheduled appointments without providing advance notice may be placed back on the waiting list. This measure is necessary to ensure timely access to services for all patients.
The HSC would like to thank the public for their support and understanding.