This article details the process you go through to add yourself to a waitlist, and respond to your waitlist requests. You can only access the Waitlist feature if your practice has enabled this feature.

Accessing the Waitlist

When the patient access preference is turned on, there are various ways for you to add yourself to the practice's waitlist. You can join the Waitlist from the following locations in both the web and the app:

The appointment time selection page in your practice's booking flow when you click the "See all appointments" button

The appointment time selection page in your practice's booking flow when you haven't selected a time to start with

The website widget booking page

When you click on the waitlist button, you are taken to a page that allows them to add your details and submit a waitlist request.

Making a Waitlist request submission

When you want to make a waitlist request, you are taken to a form to complete. The first page contains questions regarding your name and contact details.

The second page contains information about the type of appointment and speciality the you want, if you have a preferred practitioner, if you have any additional comments you'd like to leave and what date and times you are available. Your are also asked if there is a date you'd like to be removed from the waitlist. You can only be on the practices waitlist for 6 months at a time, before you will need to create a new request.

Once you submit a request, you will see a success page. This submission is not a guarantee of an earlier appointment.

Receiving a message to book an appointment

Once an appointment has become available, you will receive a text message or SMS. The message will look like below, that directs you either to the practice profile or to the booking form to make a booking.

If as part of the message, a time was set for the appointment, you will have that date and time pre-filled as part of your booking and will see the practice policies page first. If the time is only broadly set to a window of morning, afternoon or evening, you will be asked to select a suitable time.

If that appointment time and date is still available, you can proceed through the booking form as normal and complete a booking, with any additional payment or eligibility steps completed.

If that appointment time and date is no longer available, you will be asked to select a new time from a list of available options. You can then proceed through the booking form as normal.

Waitlist from the Healthengine app

You can add themselves to the waitlist via your profile on the app or the web, following the exact same process as above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I be on more than one Waitlist at a time with different practices?

Yes! There is no reason you can't be on multiple waitlists at different practices, regardless of if they are the same speciality (i.e 2+ GP practices) or in different specialities (i.e one GP, one dentist, one physio).

I received a text message to book an appointment, but its now unavailable. What happened?

The slots available for patients from a waitlist are not reserved, and are subject to other patients booking them online in order to allow the practice to best manage their patients and fill cancellations. If you received a text message and see the time is no longer available, you will be prompted to pick another date and/or time.

If none of these dates or times suit you to make a new booking, you can close the page. You are still on the waitlist until your waitlist request expires.

I've received a text message to book an appointment but I can't make it. What happens?

If your receive a waitlist slot you cannot attend, you don't need to action the message. You still remain on the waitlist until you either book an appointment and are manually removed from the waitlist, or your Waitlist request expires.

What happens if I ignore a text message?

Depending on individual practice policies, some practices might only offer a certain number of waitlist slots to a single patient before they attempt to contact other patients. Others might continue to message you whenever an appointment becomes available, but all practice's aim to fulfil their patient requests in a timely fashion.

How long do I have to answer a text from my practice?

As the link you are sent directs you to a booking form or practice profile that is available to other patients, there is no "expiry" for the link but the slot can be booked by other patients. We recommend you respond to your waitlist SMS as quickly as possible to avoid disappointment.

Why can't I submit a request as a new patient?

Some practices only have appointment types for existing patients, or might not be accepting new patients. You are prevented from adding yourself to the waitlist in this case, and will see an error explaining the practice doesn't offer those appointment types.

Do Waitlist entries expiry?

Yes - you as a patient can nominate a date from when you want to be removed from the practice waitlist, up to a maximum of 6 months.

Do I need to select a practitioner?

No - we appreciate that while some patients want to see their preferred practitioner, some patients just want the next available appointment with a practitioner regardless of who they are. As part of your waitlist request, you can select if you have a preferred practitioner or can select "Any Practitioner".

Can I make an appointment and be on a waitlist at the same time?

Yes - if you want to make a booking, and then add yourself to a waitlist to allow the practice to contact you for any earlier cancellations you can do that. We recommend booking your appointment first, and then adding yourself to the waitlist. We also recommend setting the expiry date of your waitlist listing to match your next appointment date, so that you can automatically be removed from the waitlist at a sensible time.

If you are offering a closer appointment type, we recommend that you either cancel your original appointment or ensure you still need it, to avoid having to pay cancellation or Did Not Attend fees.

Why can't I see certain appointment types?

Depending on your selected configuration of speciality, practitioner and new or existing patient status, the practice might offer you different appointment types to suit your selection. For example, some practices only offer new patients the "New Patient Initial Consultation" appointment to ensure they have a longer appointment slot to cater to a new patient consultation. This appointment type isn't available to patients that select "existing" as their patient type.

In order to avoid disappointment, we strongly recommend picking practitioners, specialities and appointment types that match your preferences.

How do I use my practice's Waitlist feature? Follow

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