£14m cost of 500,000 missed GP appointments across Lancashire and South Cumbria, including in Preston, Blackpool, Lancaster and Burnley

Almost 500,000 GP appointments were missed across NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria in 2022, costing taxpayers almost £14m.
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The figures, released by NHS England, show 5.1% of appointments were not attended by NHS patients in the local area, which includes all of Lancashire (including Preston, Blackpool, Burnley, Lancaster) and South Cumbria. Nationally, almost one in every 20 (4.7%) appointments were missed, equating to 14 million lost appointments in 2022 (January to November). Each day the NHS was losing an average of 42,000 appointments. There were also almost 12 million appointments for which the attendance status was not recorded. Patients attended 302 million appointments.

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The NHS says the average GP appointment costs £30, meaning that the missed appointments have cost the healthcare system an estimated £421 million. In Lancashire and South Cumbria the cost was estimated as £13,443,330 cost to the taxpayer.

Missed appointments are a huge problem for the NHSMissed appointments are a huge problem for the NHS
Missed appointments are a huge problem for the NHS
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A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Every appointment missed is taxpayers’ money wasted, and we strongly encourage patients to attend their GP appointments “We are incredibly grateful to GPs and their staff, whose hard work ensured that in the 12 months up to October 2022, there were around 93,000 more GP appointments every working day compared to last year.”

An NHS spokesperson said: “Record numbers of people are being treated by the NHS with millions more GP appointments being delivered compared to before the pandemic. The message however to patients is clear and has not changed - it is vital that people seek care when they need it.”

A total of 346.3 million appointments have been recorded in general practice - including COVID vaccinations - over the last 12 months. Meanwhile, there are a record numbers of GPs in training with £1.5 billion invested by NHS England to create 50 million more appointments a year by 2024.

Meanwhile. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appears to have scrapped a Tory leadership campaign pledge to fine patients in England £10 if they miss GP or hospital appointments. In October, the PM’s spokeswoman said Sunak “stands by the sentiment” of the pledge he made during the summer Tory leadership contest. But she said that, after “listening to GPs”, the government decided it was “not the right time” for the policy.