Waiting List Reasons
Why this matters
Every waiting list status change needs a reason or evidence note. Pre-written reasons make that a single pick instead of a sentence typed from scratch, and they keep the wording the same across the team. That consistency matters when the log is audited, and in reports such as Additions and Removals that group changes by their text.
Before you start
You need the Change Settings permission to see the Waiting List Reasons screen. See Users and Permissions.
How reasons are used
Each reason belongs to one status. When someone selects that status as the New Status * on the Change Status form, a Common Reasons list appears with the reasons for it, in your chosen order. Picking one copies its text into Reason / Evidence *, where it can still be edited or added to. The reason text itself is still required, so staff can always type their own.
If a status has no reasons, Common Reasons isn’t shown for it.
Your account starts with a set of common reasons for every status, for example:
| Status | Example reasons |
|---|---|
| Awaiting Triage | Referral received — awaiting clinical triage |
| Waiting | Triaged by clinician — priority assigned, Hospital cancelled TCI — reschedule required |
| Waiting and Scheduled | TCI date agreed with patient by phone, Added to next available clinic slot |
| Suspended | Patient medically unfit — advised by GP, Awaiting diagnostic results before proceeding |
| Removed | Patient requested removal by phone, Unable to contact — two attempts by SMS, one by phone |
Change, reorder or delete them to suit your service.
Steps
Adding a reason
- Go to the Settings area and select Waiting List Reasons. The list shows each reason’s Status, its Reason / Evidence Text and its Order.
- Select Add Reason.
- Choose the Status: * the reason is offered for.
- Enter the Reason / Evidence Text: *, up to 200 characters.
- Optionally, enter an Order (blank = last): from 1 to 999. Leave it blank to put the reason at the end of that status’s list.
- Select Save.
To change a reason, select it in the list, edit it, then select Save.
Reordering reasons
- Tick one reason.
- Select Move Up or Move Down. The reason swaps places with its neighbour in the same status.
Deleting reasons
- Tick one or more reasons.
- Select Delete, then confirm.
A deleted reason is no longer offered on the Change Status form. Status changes already recorded with its text are not affected.
Common problems
“Please select a single reason first” Move Up and Move Down work on one reason at a time. Untick all but one.
A reason doesn’t appear on the Change Status form Check its Status. A reason is only offered when that status is chosen as the new status, not for the status the entry is moving from.
A reason is too long to save Reasons are limited to 200 characters. The Reason / Evidence field on the Change Status form takes up to 400, so staff can add detail after picking a shorter reason.