SIR – Your report that almost 54,000 outpatient appointments were missed at Bradford’s two hospitals last year – more than 1,000 per week – is indeed disturbing.

However, you did not put this volume into any context. For example, what proportion of total appointments does this represent? One per cent, ten per cent, 50 per cent?

That would be an interesting figure.

There was also no comparison with other hospital areas or other healthcare delivery services. For example, what is the rate of no-shows at the local private sector hospitals such as the Yorkshire Clinic ? Is it higher or lower, and why is that ?

If such additional data was also provided, we might then be able to draw conclusions as to the relative scale of this problem. We may also be able to identify some interesting and informative contrasts between different units, which may then be used as models to help improve this apparently serious local issue.

Reporting a perceived problem is one thing, but let us know the context, then we can judge if the appropriate corrective action is understood and being undertaken.

Graham Hoyle, Kirkbourne Grove, Baildon