Missed NHS Appointments Cost Billions Due to Tech and Travel Barriers

Research highlights that logistical and communication challenges are leading to millions of missed hospital appointments in the UK, costing the NHS over £1.2 billion annually.

• A survey of over 5,000 patients revealed that travel difficulties, communication issues, and anxiety are major factors in missed NHS appointments.
• Half of the respondents cited transportation challenges as a reason for missing appointments, with public transport costs and long distances being significant barriers.
• The NHS is trialing artificial intelligence and partnerships with services like Uber to help reduce the number of missed appointments.
• Missed appointments in London alone have cost nearly a billion pounds over four years, with some hospitals losing over £160 million.
• Health Secretary Wes Streeting is considering fining patients for missed appointments, a proposal previously suggested by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

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