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24/08/2005
Patients miss 10 million GP appointments
The UK’s patients are missing around 10 million GP appointments and 5 million practice nurse appointments per year, a new report has suggested.
The survey, carried out by the Developing Patient Partnerships and the Institute of Healthcare Management, estimates that the cost of the missed appointments to the NHS is around £180 million.
The survey of 638 GP surgeries in the UK found that the majority (71%) would consider removing patients who repeatedly miss appointments from their lists.
Most of those doctors surveyed said that they believed missed appointments increased waiting times in the surgery, wasted NHS money and impacted on primary care targets. Two-thirds of those surveyed believed that patients should be charged for missed appointments.
The main reason for missed appointments, doctors believed, was because patients forgot about them (69%), while 22% believed it was due to patients feeling better and deciding not to attend.
Dr Terry John, DPP spokesman, described the results as “disappointing”, especially because each GP appointment costs around £18. However, he said: “On the bright side, most practices believe that this figures can be reduced through effective communication about the impact of missed appointments. This is why DPP urges patients to remember to keep or cancel their appointments and urges practices to ensure that their patients are getting the message.”
Jayne Tabor from the Institute of Healthcare Management said: "Missed appointments impact on all of us. Almost everyone is likely to have difficulties booking an appointment to see their GP at some point. These difficulties are exacerbated by missed appointments. Cancelling unwanted appointments frees them up for other patients who need them."
Liberal Democrats health spokesperson Steve Webb said that those who persistently failed to turn up or cancel their GP appointments needed to realise the impact of their actions on other people. However, he said: “The patients are not always to blame. Inflexible government targets have led to inconvenient appointment systems and patients being unable to get through to the surgery to cancel an appointment.
"There is scope for surgeries to be a lot more imaginative and work with patients to tackle this problem. Systems such as text messages to remind people of appointments or a dedicated number for people to send a text message to cancel their appointment could help.
"Appointment systems must be designed around the needs of patients, not government targets."
(KMcA/SP)
The survey, carried out by the Developing Patient Partnerships and the Institute of Healthcare Management, estimates that the cost of the missed appointments to the NHS is around £180 million.
The survey of 638 GP surgeries in the UK found that the majority (71%) would consider removing patients who repeatedly miss appointments from their lists.
Most of those doctors surveyed said that they believed missed appointments increased waiting times in the surgery, wasted NHS money and impacted on primary care targets. Two-thirds of those surveyed believed that patients should be charged for missed appointments.
The main reason for missed appointments, doctors believed, was because patients forgot about them (69%), while 22% believed it was due to patients feeling better and deciding not to attend.
Dr Terry John, DPP spokesman, described the results as “disappointing”, especially because each GP appointment costs around £18. However, he said: “On the bright side, most practices believe that this figures can be reduced through effective communication about the impact of missed appointments. This is why DPP urges patients to remember to keep or cancel their appointments and urges practices to ensure that their patients are getting the message.”
Jayne Tabor from the Institute of Healthcare Management said: "Missed appointments impact on all of us. Almost everyone is likely to have difficulties booking an appointment to see their GP at some point. These difficulties are exacerbated by missed appointments. Cancelling unwanted appointments frees them up for other patients who need them."
Liberal Democrats health spokesperson Steve Webb said that those who persistently failed to turn up or cancel their GP appointments needed to realise the impact of their actions on other people. However, he said: “The patients are not always to blame. Inflexible government targets have led to inconvenient appointment systems and patients being unable to get through to the surgery to cancel an appointment.
"There is scope for surgeries to be a lot more imaginative and work with patients to tackle this problem. Systems such as text messages to remind people of appointments or a dedicated number for people to send a text message to cancel their appointment could help.
"Appointment systems must be designed around the needs of patients, not government targets."
(KMcA/SP)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:After a dry start this morning rain will spread from the northwest across all parts. This afternoon will be dull with some patchy rain and drizzle. Becoming much milder through the afternoon. Maximum temperature 11 °C.Tonight:A cloudy evening and night with a little light rain or drizzle, perhaps some clear periods developing along the east coast. A very mild night everywhere. Minimum temperature 10 °C.
