When we think about health and social care delivery in the UK, one of the perennial themes which underpin any discussion is the ever rising demand for health appointments from a growing and aging population. That demand has been the catalyst for numerous initiatives including an online hospital, home monitoring and increased screening for conditions such as cancer. These and other initiatives aim to speed up diagnosis and treatment times whilst enabling more people to manage their conditions from the comfort of their own homes.
Despite all of these initiatives, the day-to-day pressure on health services continues to stretch resources. On the one hand figures released on 22nd January 2026 revealed that, at 73.8%, the number of patients admitted, transferred or discharged in December 2025 was the highest for five years. On the other hand, the week ended 18th January 2026 saw the highest general and acute bed occupancy levels (94.5%) since January 2020.
So the pressure is on to find more ways to smooth over the treatment pathways; delivering fast and effective treatments as quickly as practicable. And whilst progress is largely driven by health professionals, patients too have a part to play. One area in which individuals can make a measurable difference is by making sure that they either attend their healthcare appointments or let the healthcare provider know in good time if they are unable to attend.
Appointment no-shows represents a perennial problem for healthcare providers. Back in 2012 we highlighted the cost to the NHS of the one in ten hospital appointments which had been missed the previous year. At the time we commented on the way in which some health providers had started to use texts and emails to send appointment reminders to their patients.
In the intervening years reminders such as these have become part of the mainstream; built into diary management software and sent out automatically as required. Despite this, reducing appointment no-shows is still a challenge for health services. For example, in the year to September 2025 over three hundred thousand GP appointments were missed in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire alone. This has led health services in those areas to issue a call to patients to make sure they attend or cancel appointments. Calling no-shows a “significant drain on NHS resources and precious GP practice time,” Dr Dave Briggs, Executive Director of Outcomes (Medical) at NHS Nottingham & Nottinghamshire said: “whatever the reason for an appointment no longer being needed, or you can no longer attend, it’s vital you contact your practice to either cancel or rearrange.”
A similar message is being sent out by the NHS in Cumbria with their spokesperson saying: “We completely understand that life happens and plans can change but when appointments aren’t attended and the practice isn’t told, that time can’t be reused for someone else who may really need it.” They went on to highlight how: “A quick call or message means your slot can be offered to another patient, helping reduce waiting times and keep care running smoothly.”