A TEXT messaging service has been launched by York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to help remind outpatients about their appointments.

Steph Holloway, patient access improvement manager at the trust, said: “Over a 12 month period up to July this year, 64,857 patients failed to attend their first or follow up outpatient appointments at one of our hospital sites - at an approximate cost of £136 per appointment."

“Patients do not attend their appointments because they have either unintentionally forgotten the date, or failed to inform the Trust that they no longer wish to be seen. This can result in an unnecessary delay to their care pathway or an unfilled clinic appointment which could have been offered to another patient.

“In just a few weeks the new service is already proving hugely successful and we are sending on average 1,400 text reminders a day to patients.”

By signing up to the text reminder service, patients will receive a text message five days before their appointment giving them the opportunity to confirm, cancel or reschedule via the Trust Contact Centre or direct with the different departments. A second reminder is sent 24 hours before to confirm the appointment time and date.