Patients to be offered last-minute hospital appointments by text

Patients will be sent text messages to secure last-minute hospital appointments, under an NHS drive to cut the number of slots being wasted.

Hospitals have been asked to introduce short notice lists of patients happy to take “standby” slots on a first come, first served basis, as part of efforts to cut waiting backlogs.

NHS figures show more than 7.5 million hospital appointments in England were missed last year, because patients did not attend, while seven million people are stuck on waiting lists.

Health chiefs believe that many “no shows” could be avoided if trusts had better systems to allow patients to cancel and rebook, or gave the offer of a remote appointment.

Hospitals are being told to overhaul their systems, which includes drawing up a list of NHS patients who are either prepared to come forward at late notice – after getting a phone call or text alert – or accept a remote appointment.

Sir James Mackey, NHS national director of elective surgery, has told all hospitals to adapt their systems, gathering evidence on the most successful approaches, in a two week blitz.

He said: “We want to make the best use of every available slot we have – and that means more use of short notice lists, so that patients who are willing to be ‘on standby’ can be ready to fill any empty appointment.”

In some cases, patients would need to be free within the next couple of days, but in others more than a week’s notice might be possible.

Cambridge University Hospitals trust reduced its “do not attend” rate by one quarter, after introducing such a scheme, with mass texts sent, and slots filled on a first come, first served basis. Leeds Teaching Hospitals trust is currently testing a similar system, with patients assured that being offered a late slot “should not be taken to mean that your current illness or condition requires urgent medical attention.”

Ministers have previously warned that missed appointments are costing the NHS at least £750 million a year.

The action to cut waiting lists comes as health chiefs prepare to launch an A&E rescue plan, with hospitals under unprecedented strain.

Steve Barclay, the Health Secretary, said: “As we work to cut waiting times for patients and tackle the Covid backlog, it is vital the NHS does everything it can to address the 7.5 million hospital appointments that are missed every year.

“This new drive will reduce no-shows, fill last-minute cancellations and make it easier for patients to be assessed from the comfort of their home, where that is best for them.

“Every appointment freed up could be used for other patients, especially those who have been waiting the longest, helping us continue to make progress to reduce the longest waits.”

NHS figures show that of around 120 million hospital appointments booked in 2021/22, 6.4 per cent were missed, when patients failed to turn up – a rise of almost 16 per cent in a year.

In addition, 11.5 million were cancelled by hospitals, the figures show, with procedures axed because of staff shortages, surges in Covid and a lack of beds.

Hospitals have found that text requests asking patients to confirm attendance cut “no shows” by as much as 80 per cent. Meanwhile, improvements to online booking systems, allowing patients to reschedule cut missed appointments by 17 per cent. Other trusts are testing reminder phone calls a week before appointments, and sending out bus tickets and parking permits.

Around four in five people on NHS waiting lists are waiting for an outpatient appointment, to see specialists or undergo minor procedures such as cataract surgery.

The NHS has pledged to eliminate waits of more than 18 months by April. Latest monthly figures show 48,961 such waits in November 2022, down from a peak of 124,911 last September.

The new drive, called “Action on Outpatients: Reducing Did Not Attends”, comes ahead of an Urgent & Emergency Care Recovery Plan expected next week.

Outpatients are 80 per cent of waiting list

Earlier this month, the Prime Minister said that it would be a mistake to cut back on planned surgery in order to prioritise acute pressures on A&E.

Sir James said: “With NHS staff delivering more than two million outpatient appointments every week, and outpatients making up more than 80 per cent of the overall waiting list, this drive to reduce missed appointments has the potential to make a huge difference in freeing up capacity and helping us deliver for patients.

“The reasons for missing appointments can vary hugely, which is why the NHS is aiming to make it easier for patients to cancel and rebook, offer remote appointments where appropriate and preferred, and send more and better appointment reminders, while drilling down and tackling the root causes that lie behind non-attendances.”

He also urged patients to let hospitals know as far in advance as possible if they cannot attend appointments.