Tens of thousands of patients every year are failing to keep their hospital appointments in Bradford – wasting enormous amounts of NHS cash and having an impact on waiting times.

Now bosses at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are appealing to patients to let them know if they cannot attend their outpatients appointment, saying: “We can’t treat an empty chair.”

Figures show that in 2010 53,916 patients failed to turn up for their appointments at Bradford Royal Infirmary or St Luke’s Hospital.

Each month alone around 4,500 people do not attend appointments given to them.

Latest available figures for 2011 show that in March the highest number of people who missed their consultations came from eye clinics, where 475 patients did not attend their appointments.

Adele Hartley-Spencer, clinical services manager for the outpatient appointment service, said: “It really matters to us, because if you do not let us know that you are unable to attend we can’t re-allocate your appointment to someone else.

“If we know in advance that you can’t attend we could offer your appointment to another patient who is currently on our waiting list.

“To try to reduce the number of appointments that go to waste and improve attendance at outpatient clinics we are currently reviewing how we can more effectively communicate with patients, particularly in areas with high rates of non-attendance, by sending reminders to patients via SMS text messaging.

“However, I would still appeal to patients that if you can’t make your appointment, no longer need it or want to rearrange it, please call the department or telephone number stated on your letter, and inform them that you are not able to make that date.

“Alternatively, if you can’t find the number, call the Foundation Trust switchboard on (01274) 542200 and they will only be too happy to put you through to the right service or department.

“It’s your appointment. Please take care to be there.”

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