Smart Dental Care – Patient Responsibility Charter & Holding Fee Policy

Aim: Patient responsibilities and booking fee policies to ensure timely access to appointments.

  • Before You Arrive
    • Please arrive at least 10 minutes early to complete any necessary paperwork. In most cases, your medical history form will be sent electronically in advance so you can complete it online, saving time for both you and our reception team.
  • Arriving Late
    • If you arrive more than 5 minutes late, you may not be seen, and your appointment may be classed as a late cancellation. If you expect to be late, please call the practice as early as possible to discuss your options and avoid a wasted journey.
    • Please note: any appointment cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice will also be classed as a late cancellation.
  • Repeat Non-Attendance Policy
    • If a patient misses two appointments within an 18-month period—either as no-shows or short-notice cancellations—their registration with the practice may be terminated. Once deregistered, patients will no longer have access to services at practice and must rejoin as a private patient. If a deregistered patient requires an emergency appointment, they will only be seen on a private basis, and a £50 prepayment will be required.
  • Cancellations and No-Shows
    • You need to give at least 48 working hours' notice to cancel or rearrange appointments.
    • Failure to provide 48 working hours' notice will result in the loss of the booking fee.
    • Patients who do not attend their appointment without prior notice will forfeit their booking fee.
  • Repeat Non-Attendance Policy
    • If a patient fails to attend an appointment on two or more occasions due to non-attendance or short-notice cancellation within 18 months, their registration with the practice will be terminated.
    • After termination, patients will no longer have access to the services at the practice. They will need to find an alternative practice or re-join the practice as a private patient.
    • If a patient needs an emergency appointment, such as for a toothache, they will only be seen as a private patient for a fee of £50, payable in advance.
  • Appointment Reminders
    • To help patients remember their appointments, we aim to send reminders:
      • One week before the scheduled appointment
      • Two days before the appointment
      • A telephone reminder one day prior
    • However, it remains the patient’s sole responsibility to attend the appointment on time and provide at least 48 working hours’ notice if cancellation or rescheduling is needed.They must contact the practice promptly for any changes.
  • Patient Responsibility
    • It is the patient’s responsibility to ensure they attend their scheduled appointment or provide the required 48 working hours' notice if unable to attend.
    • Patients can notify the practice of a cancellation or reschedule by:
      • Calling the practice. If the call is unanswered, patients may leave a voicemail.
      • Emailing the practice directly.

We appreciate your cooperation in adhering to this policy, which helps us minimise disruptions and ensures appointment availability for all our patients.

‍

NHS Patient Holding Fee Policy

  • Purpose of the Policy
    • This policy aims to improve attendance and reduce the number of wasted clinical hours caused by late cancellations or no-shows. A fully refundable £10 holding fee helps protect valuable appointment time and ensures urgent cases are seen more efficiently.
  • Who is Affected
    • The holding fee applies to:
      • All NHS patients
      • NHS patients who have not attended the clinic in the last 2 years
      • NHS patients with a history of missed appointments or repeated short-notice cancellations
    • Regular NHS attenders with a good attendance record may be exempt from the holding fee, at the discretion of the practice team.
  • How the Holding Fee Works
    • A £10 holding fee is taken to reserve any routine or emergency NHS appointment in advance. This fee is not an advance payment for NHS treatment and will be:
      • Deducted from the total patient charge on the day of the appointment
      • Fully refunded if the patient is exempt from NHS dental charges
      • Fully refundable even if the patient fails to attend (see below)
  • Same-Day Appointments Without a Holding Fee
    • Patients who prefer not to pay the holding fee can still access care through same-day appointments (subject to availability). Advance appointments cannot be booked unless the holding fee is paid.
  • DNA (Did Not Attend) Procedure and Holding Fee
    • If a patient fails to attend without giving the required 48-hour notice:
      • The original £10 holding fee will be retained
      • The patient must pay another £10 to secure a new appointment
      • If the patient attends the next appointment, the second £10 will be refunded, and the first £10 will remain  on file
    • The holding fee stays on the patient’s account until one of the following: the patient is deregistered, demonstrates consistent attendance over time, or requests a refund. In line with NHS policy, if a patient fails to attend two consecutive appointments without appropriate notice, they may be removed from the practice list and the holding fee refunded.
  • Policy Transparency
    • This policy aligns with NHS guidance stating that patients should not be charged a fee to access assessment or treatment. The £10 fee is a fully refundable deposit to secure time, not a treatment fee. We remain committed to NHS care and ensure no patient is refused access due to inability or refusal to pay a holding fee, as same-day appointments remain available without charge.

‍

Booking Fee Policy (For Private, Independent, and Essentials Patients)

  • Booking Fee Requirement
    • All Private, Independent, and Essentials patients must pay a booking fee to secure their routine or emergency appointment. This fee is payable at the time of booking through reception or our online system and will be deducted from the total cost of treatment on attendance.
  • Booking Fee Policy for Northern Ireland Patients
    • For patients in Northern Ireland, a £10 booking fee is required for each appointment. If you fail to attend without giving at least 48 hours’ notice:
      • The booking fee will be forfeited
      • An additional £1 per minute of missed appointment time will be charged For example, missing a 20-minute
    •  appointment will result in a total charge of £30 (£10 booking fee + £20 for missed time).
  • Final Note
    • We appreciate your cooperation in following this policy, which helps reduce disruptions and ensures fair appointment access for all our patients. Note: This policy does not apply to Wallasey Dental Studio, Tovey Little Dental Centre and Longridge Dental Care. Please refer to their Patient Responsibility Charter and Booking Fee Policy separately on their website.

‍

‍