GP and hospital no-shows could face fines of £10 as part of new plans to address the issue of missed appointments. Health minister Maria Caulfield revealed that senior figures are considering the implementation of fines as a means to reduce the millions of missed appointments each year. The idea was initially proposed by Rishi Sunak during last year’s Tory leadership campaign. Although it was put on hold when he became Prime Minister, Caulfield suggested that it could potentially be included in the next Tory manifesto. However, she clarified that there are currently no immediate plans to impose fines.
According to NHS England, nearly eight million hospital appointments were missed in the previous year, accounting for one in 15 consultations. Additionally, over one million GP appointments are estimated to be missed every month, resulting in approximately £30 in costs for each missed appointment.
Sunak’s proposal suggests issuing a warning to patients after their first missed appointment, with subsequent fines of £10 for each additional missed appointment. He believes that this approach reflects a Conservative stance towards tackling the problem, which costs the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds annually.
However, the idea has faced criticism from the health sector. The British Medical Association argues that fines for missed appointments could undermine the trust between doctor and patient, and threaten the principle of free care at the point of need. The NHS Confederation also raises concerns about the bureaucratic costs outweighing the revenue brought in by the fines.
Despite the initial consideration, Sunak abandoned the proposal upon entering Downing Street, citing the importance of listening to GPs and NHS leaders. A No 10 spokesperson stated that while the sentiment of reducing missed appointments remains, now is not the time to proceed with this policy.
Caulfield emphasizes that the NHS is exploring various other measures to address the issue of missed appointments. These measures include utilizing technology such as the NHS app and tech systems in GP practices and hospitals to remind patients about their appointments, moving away from traditional letters.
In January, the NHS launched a significant campaign to reduce missed appointments and waiting lists. As part of this effort, hospitals have been instructed to establish “short notice lists,” allowing them to fill cancelled appointments promptly.
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