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We thank Mr Loh Hong Lee for his feedback ( , Nov 4). The National Skin Centre’s appointment booking deposit of $10 is for patients booking their next follow-up appointment.  This has been in place since 2001, with the objective of minimising no-show of appointments. The appointment booking deposit is refundable when patients turn up for their appointments as scheduled.  Patients who are unable to keep their appointments can call to cancel or reschedule three days in advance to avoid their booking deposit being forfeited. This arrangement has largely prompted more responsible use of our tight appointment slots, resulting in more efficient scheduling of appointments. More importantly, it translates into an improvement in patient care by reducing the waiting time for appointments and enabling timely access to our services by those who truly require them. Alternatively, patients may opt for an open appointment, which does not require any deposit, and those who require financial assistance may ask for a waiver. As for those who cancel their appointments at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances, they may appeal against losing their deposit. Such appeals are generally successful when there are legitimate reasons. The refund can also be made upon request when the patient has no upcoming appointment scheduled with us, or done automatically upon discharge. We assure Mr Loh and the public that no patient has so far been denied an appointment for financial reasons or been denied a refund when valid reasons have been given. If Mr Loh has any further query, he may contact our corporate communications team at so that we can attend to him Director National Skin Centre