Due to high levels of demand, and the impact that not attending has on your progress in treatment, we operate a policy for non-attendance of appointments. This includes cancelling a planned appointment, or not attending an appointment without contacting us.
We want you to benefit from your treatment and research shows that regular appointments make for better therapy outcomes. Missing appointments can affect the momentum of your therapy and the success of your treatment. Missed appointments also impact on waiting times, as we could offer the appointment to someone else in need.
How can I cancel an appointment?
We understand that there may be occasions where you are unable to attend a scheduled appointment, due to unforeseen circumstances. It is important that you let us know in advance if you need to cancel an appointment. To cancel an appointment, please contact the service via email to TalkingTherapiesAdmin@bdct.nhs.uk or by calling 01274 221234. Please provide your full name and date of birth, or NHS number, if contacting us via email.
Please be aware due to high demand, we have to limit the number of missed appointments. If you cancel or do not attend two assessment appointments, or two therapy appointments, you will be discharged from the service.
Patient Non-Attendance Policy
Contacting you to arrange an assessment or first therapy appointment
Our Admin Team will attempt to contact you on two occasions over a 2 week period to arrange an assessment or first therapy appointment. If we are not able to make contact with you, and you do not contact us within 7 days of our last contact attempt, we will assume that you no longer wish to engage with the service, and you will be discharged. If you are discharged due to no contact, you will need to make a new referral, should you still wish to access the service.
Assessment appointments
If you do not attend your scheduled assessment appointment, without contacting us to let us know, we will assume you no longer require the service, and you will be discharged from the service. If you do not attend or cancel two assessment appointments, you will be discharged. This will be clearly documented on your offer of appointment letter. If you are discharged due to non-attendance, you will need to make a new referral, should you still wish to be assessed.
First therapy appointments
If you do not attend your first scheduled therapy appointment, without contacting us to let us know, we will assume you no longer require the service, and you will be discharged from the service. This will be clearly documented on your offer of appointment letter. If you are discharged due to non-attendance, you will need to make a new referral, should you still wish to access the service.
If you do not attend, or cancel, 2 therapy appointments during a course of treatment, you will be discharged. This will be clearly documented on your offer of appointment letter. If you are discharged due to non-attendance, you will need to make a new referral, should you still wish to access the service.
Ongoing therapy appointments
If you do not attend an ongoing therapy appointment without letting us know first, you should contact the service within 3 days to arrange another appointment. Your therapist will send you a letter asking you to get in touch. If we do not hear from you within 3 days from your missed appointment, we will presume you no longer require the service, and you will be discharged. This will be clearly documented on your offer of appointment letter. If you are discharged due to no contact, you will need to make a new referral, should you still wish to access the service.
If you do not attend, or cancel, 2 therapy appointments, during a course of treatment, this will result in discharge. This will be clearly documented on your offer of appointment letter. If you are discharged due to non-attendance, you will need to make a new referral, should you still wish to access the service.
SilverCloud
If you do not activate your SilverCloud account or do not access/complete any of your SilverCloud programme prior to your first review with your Supporter, you will be discharged. If you do not access/complete any of your SilverCloud programme in the time between any two reviews with your Supporter, you will be discharged. If you are discharged due to non-engagement with the online programme, you will need to make a new referral, should you still wish to access the service.
Courses
If you do not attend a course session without letting us know first, you should contact the service within 3 days to confirm your attendance at the next course session. Your course facilitator will send you a letter asking you to get in touch. If we do not hear from you within 3 days from your missed course session, we will presume you no longer wish to engage with the service, and you will be discharged. This will be clearly documented on your course invitation letter. If you are discharged due to no contact, you will need to make a new referral, should you still wish to access the service.
If you do not attend, or cancel, 2 course session, during a course of treatment, this will result in discharge. This will be clearly documented on your course invitation letter. If you are discharged due to non-attendance, you will need to make a new referral, should you still wish to access the service.
Appointments cancelled by the service
Your therapist will always endeavour to provide you notice if they are unable to make an appointment. There might be times when your therapist will need to cancel a session. If this happens, your therapist or the service will let you know as soon as they can. To ensure high quality care, staff are required to attend training, which may fall on your therapy day. We will give you as much notice as possible, and this will not mean you miss out on number of therapy sessions.
If your therapist is unable to attend your scheduled appointment at short notice, due to unforeseen circumstances, our Admin team will make contact with you to inform you of the cancellation.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused by an appointment cancelled by the service and we endeavour to avoid this wherever possible.
Mutual respect and zero tolerance
We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. We ask that all service users extend the same courtesy to our staff. Our service users do not have the right to verbally or physically abuse, insult or treat staff in an undignified and disrespectful manner. The Trust takes a zero tolerance approach to abuse, harassment or discrimination towards staff, in line with BDCFT Discrimination and Harassment of Staff by Service Users, Carers and Relatives and Dignity and Respect policies. . If at any point a staff member experiences this, they may need to end your session and/or discharge you from the service.