What to change
Provide a follow-up route that helps the team identify the earlier enquiry. Base the timing on the practice's stated response arrangement and avoid encouraging repeated new submissions.
A worked example
Illustrative example
A visitor who received an enquiry reference can quote it when contacting reception about the response. The page explains that submitting another identical enquiry is not the intended way to check progress.
Put it into practice
An example might be “Have your enquiry reference ready when you call”, where references are actually issued. Reception should know where to find that reference too. Otherwise, a seemingly helpful instruction simply creates a second problem for both sides.
Make the follow-up details easy to save from the acknowledgement. Patients should not have to remember which contact page they used several days earlier to locate the appropriate number.
What to agree before publishing
An acknowledgement should give the sender something useful to retain: the relevant contact route and, where issued, an enquiry reference. Agree which details reception can use to locate the original message through its usual checks. A second submission may look like a new request, so the page should explain how to follow up the first one. Review the instructions with a fictional visitor who has the receipt email and another who never received one.
How to check the result
A person can ask about their original request without creating confusion about how many appointments or replies they want.
A mistake to avoid
Do not assume an unanswered enquiry means the person should restart the entire process or pay for another booking.
Turn reading into a next step
Your action checklist
Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.
Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.
Use project decisions only, without personal, patient or confidential details. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Copy or download before leaving; this page does not save your notes.
Further reading
These sources provide background for the topic. The practice examples and checklist are illustrative planning suggestions from Kay & Co.
Related guides
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