According to new data, Patients who fail to keep hospital appointments cost the NHS more than £600 million a year – enough to run two medium-size hospitals, the BBC reported.
Last year, 6.5 million appointments were missed in the UK, with hospitals losing around £100 per patient in revenue. The figures from UK health departments and analysts, Dr Forster, showed that young men in their early 20s were the worst offenders and people aged 70 to 74 the most conscientious. Some clinics in the UK are even over-booking patients in anticipation of no shows. Unison said patients were not always to blame as check-ups are often arranged months in advance and suggested that primary care Trusts should find ways of reminding patients of their appointments, using text or e-mail alerts.
