NHS dentist appointment cancellation

Vicklar

My partner and I moved from Somerset to Cornwall last year. My partner received a text message one Friday afternoon from his dentist (registered in Somerset) reminding him of his 6 month check up the following Monday. As he didn't see the message until gone 5 o'clock we were unable to cancel without a charge so decided to drive the hour and a half up the motorway. As my partner needed a filling he had to make a further appointment for treatment 2 weeks later (their earliest one which he paid for upfront). He left at 7:15am for his 9am appointment only to receive a phone all as he was waiting in the car park from the dentist saying they had cancelled his appointment due to sickness. They eventually agreed to refund the cost of the treatment after much arguing with the receptionist but my question is.....are we entitled to any further compensation for our own costs?

JReacher1

Vicklar wrote: »

My partner and I moved from Somerset to Cornwall last year. My partner received a text message one Friday afternoon from his dentist (registered in Somerset) reminding him of his 6 month check up the following Monday. As he didn't see the message until gone 5 o'clock we were unable to cancel without a charge so decided to drive the hour and a half up the motorway. As my partner needed a filling he had to make a further appointment for treatment 2 weeks later (their earliest one which he paid for upfront). He left at 7:15am for his 9am appointment only to receive a phone all as he was waiting in the car park from the dentist saying they had cancelled his appointment due to sickness. They eventually agreed to refund the cost of the treatment after much arguing with the receptionist but my question is.....are we entitled to any further compensation for our own costs?

I would say no. It's not really the dentists fault you live over an hour and a half away from the dentist.

In future I would suggest you book appointments that are later on in the day. For a 9am appointment if there is sickness, and the appointment has to be cancelled, then the earliest they'll be able to contact you will be when they start work around 8:30ish.

zaax

As it was a private appointment I would - see failed delivery above, but be prepared for the dentist to remove you from his list

sinizterguy

zaax wrote: »

As it was a private appointment I would - see failed delivery above, but be prepared for the dentist to remove you from his list

I would disagree.

Staff sickness happens.

If you go around pushing for more, there will be an irrevocable breakdown in the relationship. And you won't get anything more than a written apology.

Where does it say it is a private appointment ? Title of the thread says NHS.

Johno100

A dentist can't charge for a missed NHS appointment, he/she can decline future treatment, but they can't charge a 'no show' fee like they can private patients.

The dentist in Somerset can't really be responsible for your travelling distance, where would it stop, move to Australia and expect the dentist to pick up the cost of a flight because you decided to jet in for a late cancelled appointment.

Get a local dentist in Cornwall and move on.

McKneff

Its very likely that you could have cancelled by telephone, I bet a pound to a penny that there would have been an answerphone and a message would have been picked up early morning


As said earlier, an NHS dentist cannot charge for a missed appointment but they can remove you from their list.

Toothsmith

zaax wrote: »

As it was a private appointment I would - see failed delivery above, but be prepared for the dentist to remove you from his list

The thread title says it's NHS.

Either way - there was no reasonable way they could have been expected to contact you in time to stop you coming - so I think you did ell to get treatment cost refunded! There was no need for them to do that.

Incidentally OP - NHS practices can't charge NHS patients a missed appointment or late cancellation fee any more (In England and Wales) - so not sure if this place actually would charge you the fee you mentioned in your post.

duchy

Perhaps you should find a dentist local to your home now you've experienced the problems having one further away can cause.

Johno100

Toothsmith wrote: »

Incidentally OP - NHS practices can't charge NHS patients a missed appointment or late cancellation fee any more (In England and Wales) - so not sure if this place actually would charge you the fee you mentioned in your post.

Probably like my dentist, big signs in reception and waiting area about missed appointments and a fee, but not making it clear that that only applies to private patients.