Any room for efficiency improvements?

[helli]

Having noticed my last annual diabetes review was 13 months ago and I had no appointment for the next, I decided to drop the clinic an email. Within 30 minutes, I had a text and email inviting me to an appointment in 3 weeks time.
Unfortunately, I will be away on that date and cannot make it.
Despite getting the invitation by email and text, there was no way to cancel or change an appointment apart from phoning which I was not able to do that day. By the time I was able to call, I had also received the invite in the mail.
My first call went through to a voice mail telling me that due to covid, there are less appointments available as doctors have been reassigned to other departments - I think the message is a little out of date. It also mentioned that the phone will only be answered between 8:30am and 4pm. I guess it didn't say that it would definitely be answered at 10:30am when I was calling.
Anyway, they called me back.
They could not change the appointment. They had to cancel. I received a text message, email and, a day later, a letter in the post telling me it was cancelled on my request.
Then a new appointment could be made. And confirmed by test, email and paper letter.

I am not complaining - I have an appointment at a convenient time.
But I am hoping that time remains convenient and does not have to be changed.

 

[Inka]

That sounds a bit like my clinic @helli I need to phone to change an appointment. Also, they only seem to know the date of pump clinics a month or so ahead so if I call to change my appointment, often they can’t do it because the next clinic hasn’t been scheduled yet so, like yours, it gets cancelled. Sometimes the nice lady does agree to put me on a list somewhere. This poor nice lady seems to be responsible for all the admin and reception when clinics are on, so I know she’s working hard! If yours is the same, that might be the reason they couldn’t answer the phone.

The NHS seems overwhelmed at the moment and it’s having effects everywhere. It’s very disheartening.

 

[Robin]

Ive now signed up to get hospital letters on line, but previously, if the hospital wanted to change my appointment, which they did several times over the years, they wrote and paid postage on one letter to cancel the appointment, then wrote and posted a second letter making the new appointment. Wasteful or what!

 

[Satan’s little helper]

I get letters for appointments 2 working days in advance. The letter dated 2 days prior to dropping through my door. If I can make it, I’m the only one in the waiting room and over/done with the appointment was meant to actually start.

 

[AndBreathe]

@helli , I've had that same situation when needing to change an appointment. Allegedly, in my area, clinic appointments are made in a central booking are, except when they are made in clinic, which seems very random.

Recently, I had a letter informing me of a change of appointment from 10:30 on the given day to 10:40. I mean, I have never been seen on time in that clinic. On the upside, the Endo seems interested in people, which gets my vote every time.

 

[Eternal422]

Thankfully my hospital clinic are all online (if you choose so) and that works well with appointments showing up in the NHS app (the bit for hospital appointments) with no letters for the appointments. Same for the GP appointments now as well.