NHS Wales to remove no-show patients from waiting lists

He should have been gone long ago, still if the disabled can survive another cold, hungry and anxious winter there may be a spring of hope. Not something likely to bother that drop-in center for has-beens...that is if we have not been nuked yet to shut down Clark's North Korea on Thames before it comes to anything...

You're a weird lot down south, the more they kick you the more you stick up for them...

If they have cocked up your appointment twice through their own fallibility surely any sane person would not applaud it... Except on here of course, as I said some of you are not the full shilling down there, are you?

Faxes are not sent to patients. I think you'll find there are many many elderly and others who still rely on letters.

I recently had surgery: for every appointment, I was sent an automated letter, but also a text message for me to confirm attendance, and a further message a day or so before to remind of the appointment. That said, the operation was in England, because I’m in North Wales. This doesn’t take a lot of effort to set up tech wise.

If you're going to make stuff up why not go with carrier pigeons and smoke signals?

They have no infrastructure to support digital approach, everything have is vulnerable and are just straight intercepted by MitM and third party scammers. They fail to meet basic GDPR needs and zero proprietary security for medical confidentiality. If you use their App or WhatsApp services, you may as well just hand out a piece of paper with all you private details to anyone inc scammers you bump into.

Also, good luck getting through to them on the phone to inform them the appointment they've made is not feasible. There have to be other channels available, like a chatbot on their website, for example.

Exactly but you have no where further to take your complaint

I don't want to be accused of political double-speak but what constitutes 'good cause' according to the Welsh government? It could be argued that most people wouldn't book an appointment without good cause or fail to attend without good cause. Particularly nowadays with waiting lists being so long. I would speculate that if people are failing to show up for appointments there is a reason behind it and it might be worth investigating. I understand that the NHS is under strain but implementing policies that make 'the rules' more and more rigid, unapproachable and unrealistic for patients kind of defeats the purpose of the NHS. This sounds kind of like a ploy to deter people from even asking for appointments just to cut costs. More data is needed before casting judgement on the general public here. For instance, They say it wastes £700,000. Okay. Is that a lot. In governmental coffers context, to me that sounds like pocket change but alright. Lets say it was £7,000,000 or a higher number that might leave a dent. How does that differ from previous years and decades? The public needs to have this information before forming an accurate opinion because, I know people don't like to hear it, but wasted taxpayer money is inevitable and expected in a functioning society. It's the same argument as, 'a few people recieving benefits might be grifters so lets punish everyone'. Waste is normal and taken into account before calculating the overall costs per year. I know people would prefer that not a penny goes unused but, come on. This is the real world. That has never and will never happen. If people aren't able to keep an appointment, it's within their rights to cancel. If they can't go they can't go. Obviously if some people are routinely abusing the system and treating the NHS as if it's some sort of phone app that only affects the business if they reneg on the arrangement then of course, people who honour the service should take priority over them, but I really doubt that's the case with most cases. There are a lot more efficient ways to improve the NHS at this moment in time. This is a cheap and tacky way, and Oh, shocker! It's the public's fault everyone. That darn public are at it again, wreaking havoc. I'm tired of hearing how awful the general public are. The general public aren't in control are they? The general public don't have the power, resources, influence or status to make any kind of change for the better. Their elected do. This is the thanks they get for voting for these genuine money sponges.

If they played their part, we might actually know about appointments before they happen and not just get nasty rude non-medical receptionists having a go that you did not attend something you had no knowledge was booked!

Is there a death spike on a Sunday, when every patient becomes a mystery due to the ad hoc staffing arrangements...? Speaking as one who witnessed such an untimely death. a two hours I won't forget or forgive...

It's only fair to let someone else have the spot if they want it enough to not be upset about reconfirming their place.

Nailed it in three but you left out the lying, the deadly incompetence and the silence of the holy order of NHS executives...the untouchables...

Smiles all over...sadism is the thrill of choice in Labour circles, they have taken government into the marriage bed to thrash out the details...

Diolch Y Cymro...

Letters are sent out, constant reminders via text also patients who have interpreters booked for them failing to attend this is after they've attended the appointm ent it's been agreed with patient via the attending interpreter, therefore no reason to not attending 2 or maybe 3 for the appointment which cost over £200.00 each time. People just don't care. Genuine patients attend, I work for ABUHB one patient didn't attend. Her reason she had the hiccups yes your reading this right, a other excuse it was raining. I therefore agree 2 strikes and your out!!!!