Missed appointments continue to be one of the NHS’s biggest challenges, coming at a significant financial and administrative cost while increasing wait times for critical patient treatment.
Recent research found that in 2024, each NHS Trust faced an average of 51,168 ‘did-not-attends’ (DNAs), adding up to an estimated 11.8 million missed appointments at a staggering cost of £1.9 billion.
Some Trusts are being hit harder than others, with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust reporting more than 320,000 missed appointments in 2024, almost double the Trust’s 2023 figures, costing some £51.4 million.
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District Hospital NHS Trust in Shropshire saw the biggest year-on-year increase, with a 388.50% rise in missed appointments.
Missed appointments continue to be one of the NHS’s biggest challenges
Strikingly, one study found that the single biggest reason for DNAs was down to people being unaware they even had an appointment in the first place. Another 10% tried, but failed, to cancel or reschedule, and a further 12% simply forgot.
However, all this data points to one area where I see the healthcare sector continuing to fall flat: communication. We routinely receive digital messages from banks, retailers, and utility companies, but the healthcare sector has struggled to keep pace.
The disconnect between patient and healthcare provider isn’t just inefficient, it’s costly for the organisation and frustrating for all the people involved.
We need better and more consistent ways of getting in touch with patients that meet people where they are. If we can deliver efficient, easy-to-use communication, patients can access the healthcare support that’s vital to them with minimal cost and administrative burden on the Trust.
The digital-first shift
While much of our daily communication has moved online, healthcare still relies heavily on traditional methods, like postal correspondence.
Recent estimates suggest
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