Missed Essex GP appointments cost NHS £5.9m in 12 months
Health / Wed 15th Nov 2023 at 06:32am
MISSED GP appointments cost the NHS in Essex about £5.9m in the space of a year, according to official data reports the BBC.
More than 363,000 were not attended between October 2022 and September 2023 – almost 1,400 every working day.
The data, produced by the NHS and compiled by the BBC, showed a 4.4% increase on the previous 12 months.
The Essex Local Medical Committee (LMC) said the figures were “staggering” and “eye-watering”, but not unique to the county.
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Paul
2023-11-15 07:22:37
Maybe because we don’t get the appointment letters till after the actual appointment
Luke Burton
2023-11-15 07:56:14
Missed appointments are terrible on a human level, but look up the BBC Radio 4 More or Less episode on this to debunk the actual fiscal cost to the NHS.
AB
2023-11-15 09:28:16
Locking the surgery doors doesn't help, how many just walk away and lose appointments? One evening recently I arrived at my local Harlow surgery to find the doors locked. I walked around to the side of the building and managed to attract the attention of office staff who had to let me in as I showed them my appointment message from them. Later when they let me out by unlocking the front door there were five others gathered outside, for their appointments. How many had just given up?
Heather
2023-11-15 10:08:59
Like Paul said a lot are missed because of the dire postal situation in Harlow. Also it takes so long to actually get an appointment that by the time they do the patient has either died (God forbid) or gone to A&E to be seen.
RayMo
2023-11-15 11:15:54
Costs who?
Pedro
2023-11-15 22:32:31
Simply fine those that miss an appointment without a valid reason
6 Comments for Missed Essex GP appointments cost NHS £5.9m in 12 months: