GPs in Bolton clamp down on "wasted" appointments

GPs in Bolton are clamping down on the 19,500 appointments that are wasted every year in the town - due to people not turning up.

A new text system's been launched that makes it easier for patients to cancel if they no longer need to see the doctor.

So far - on average - 375 appointments are being freed up every week as a result. That's around 1,100 appointments every month.

Patients registered at Bolton GP practices have been receiving appointment reminders by text since the summer.

Unwanted appointments can be cancelled quickly and easily by simply replying to the text. This new service was introduced to reduce waste and improve availability by reminding people to attend, cancel, or change their GP appointment. It has also been used to invite eligible patients to book in for their flu vaccination or NHS Health Check.

Dr Wirin Bhatiani, Chair of NHS Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group, has been speaking to us:

Dr Bhatiani added:

“Bolton people tell us that they often struggle to get an appointment at their GP practice and find it difficult to get in touch when they need to. This initiative is all about reducing the number of wasted appointments, helping practices to work more efficiently, and of course providing greater convenience for patients.”

“I encourage everyone to cancel appointments if they are no longer needed, whether they are booked with a GP practice or another health service. These are challenging times for our NHS and resources are limited, so we must use them wisely.”

Patients are encouraged to check that their GP practice has their mobile phone number so they can benefit from the service.

• Text Messages