You can't run a practice with a phone glued to your ear.
Most calls are the same handful of questions. Here is how to cut the volume without letting patients down.
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- steps
- 7
- steps
- to start
- 5 minutes a day plus 30 minutes to total
- to start
- scorecard
- Free
- scorecard
The short answer
Count every call for one week by reason. In most consultant practices, a handful of questions about fees, directions, results and rebooking make up the majority. Answer those in writing before patients ring, move bookings and changes online, set protected phone hours with a call-back promise, and use a supplier for overflow.
What good looks like
Your numbers, before and after
Calls this week
Illustrative sample, not a real person or result.
7 steps
Do it yourself: step by step
0 of 7 done
Use the tally sheet below by the phone. Record every call by reason, and whether it was answered, missed or returned. Check your phone system's call log for missed calls
- Time
- 5 minutes a day plus 30 minutes to total
- Typical cost
- Free
- Who does it
- Reception team
Why it matters
You can't reduce what you haven't measured, and a few reasons usually cause most calls.
Done when: A week's totals by reason and the missed-call rate
This problem is Solvable.
Copy this script
Call tally sheet and voicemail script
Free to copy, adapt and use. No sign-up.
Call tally sheet (one week)
Mark one stroke per call.
| Reason | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New booking | ||||||
| Change or cancel | ||||||
| Fees or insurance | ||||||
| Results | ||||||
| Directions, parking, what to bring | ||||||
| Prescriptions or clinical query | ||||||
| GP or hospital | ||||||
| Other | ||||||
| Missed (from call log) |
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Voicemail script
"Thank you for calling the practice of [consultant name]. Our phone lines are open [days] from [times]. Please leave your name, date of birth, phone number and a short message, and we will call you back today if you call before [time], or by [time] the next working day.
To book or change an appointment, you can also use [website address].
For fees, directions and how to get your results, please see [website address].
If your call is urgent and about your recent treatment, please contact [hospital ward or switchboard number]. In an emergency, call 999."
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Overflow supplier brief
Can handle: new booking requests, rebooking, directions, fees from the price list, taking messages. Must pass to us the same day: clinical questions, complaints, results, anything about recent surgery. Never: give clinical advice or results, confirm details to anyone but the patient.
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Adding another phone line before finding out why people call.
- A voicemail that does not say when you will call back.
- Giving results by phone ad hoc, so every patient learns to ring.
- Letting an overflow service handle clinical questions without a script.
- Turning on an AI phone tool without checking where call data goes.
Free personal check
Done by Paul Robinson, not software
I'll call your practice once as a patient and tell you what happened
What I need from you
- Your consent
- The number patients call
- Any times I should avoid
What you get
- What happened on the call, step by step
- Whether it was answered or returned, and how fast
- The three changes that matter most
Within 2 working days
No sign-in, no sales call. I read every request myself and reply on WhatsApp.
Free tools
Check where you stand
Benchmarks
Under 5%
Target missed-call rate once overflow cover is in place. a working target, not a published benchmark
Solvable estimate
50% to 70%
Share of calls typically about fees, directions, results or rebooking in a consultant practice. practice experience, not a published study; your own one-week count replaces it
Solvable estimate
£30 to £160 a month
Published entry plans for a UK clinic call answering service (Clinic Answer: pay as you go £30 a month plus 99p a minute; 180 minutes for £160 a month)
Source: Clinic Answer pricing
Paul Robinson
14 years in UK private healthcare
I solve this one for practice managers
Want a hand? I'll look at your situation and tell you the three things I'd tackle first.
A few quick questions, about two minutes. I read every one myself and usually reply the same day.
No sales call unless you ask for one. Just a straight answer from me.
I reply personally, usually the same day.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Will patients mind not getting through live?
Most are fine with a clear call-back promise that is kept. What upsets them is voicemail with no idea when anyone will ring back.
Is online booking safe for new patients?
Many practices start with follow-ups only, or a booking request form that reception confirms. That keeps control of triage.
Can an AI phone assistant answer our calls?
Some can handle simple tasks. Check where call recordings and data are stored, have a data protection impact assessment, and keep clinical calls with people.
How much does overflow cover cost?
It depends on volume. Published entry plans start at about £30 to £160 a month, and small practices often pay a few hundred pounds a month once minutes are added (Solvable estimate). Compare it with the value of the new patients you miss.
What about out-of-hours calls after surgery?
Give patients the hospital's ward or switchboard number in their discharge information, and repeat it on voicemail.
Last reviewed:
Sources
The Solvable community
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