Doctors Running Late Posted or Updated on 1 Dec 2023

We sometimes receive complaints about doctors running late and patients having to wait for their appointments. We appreciate that this is frustrating for everyone involved so please allow us to inform you what you can do to help us, yourselves and other patients.

Multiple Problems per Appointment

• This is one of the main reasons for doctors running late.
• It can cause problems if you bring a long list of problems to a single appointment. Our appointments are in 10 minute slots. Although we will of course never simply cut you off after 10 minutes, it is usually difficult for a doctor to adequately deal with more than 1 problem in a 10 minute slot.
• Please feel free to book more appointments or when you book, inform the receptionist that you have multiple issues you would like to discuss with the doctor (you do not have to reveal any details).

Patients Arriving Late

• Please try to arrive on time for all appointments. Please inform us as soon as possible if you wish to cancel your appointment. If you are going to be late, please ring in on your mobile to let us know.
• If you are more than 10 minutes late for your appointment, it is at the discretion of the doctor/nurse if you will be seen.  You may have to re-book your appointment

Multiple Patients per Appointment

• The appointment is only for the person who is booked in for the appointment.  If you ask for other family members, who are not booked in, to be seen at the same time, it will cause everyone after you in the queue to be seen late. Please book a separate appointment for every person who you wish the doctor to see.
• Booking one patient per appointment will reduce the likelihood of doctors running late.

Emergencies

• Due to the nature of our work, occasionally we have unpredictable emergencies which we must dealt with urgently. We ask for your patience in these matters and apologise for any inconvenience caused. One day the person with the emergency could be you!