NHS Wales to remove no-show patients from waiting lists - Miles

PATIENTS who miss two appointments without good cause will be removed from waiting lists for NHS treatment, Wales' health secretary announced.

- CHRIS HAINES

Jeremy Miles, pictured below, warned more than 700,000 appointments are missed each year, with 14% of all outpatient appointments lost because people do not turn up or cannot attend.

"That's not right and it’s not sustainable," said the Labour politician. "And it doesn’t help us to make sure the public gets faster access to the care they need.

"So, in future, we will provide patients with two offers of dates for an NHS appointment. If those appointments are not kept without a good reason, they will be removed from the list so that their place can be taken by somebody else.

"Every person's circumstance will be considered. Patients who are vulnerable and children will be protected but we want patients to keep their appointments or to cancel in good time so their place can be taken by someone else."

James Evans, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, responded: "I tend to agree with that. We need to make sure the public do actually take a bit more responsibility with their appointments within the NHS but I do urge a little bit of caution.

"And I just need to make sure... this policy is not going to unfairly penalise vulnerable people, those who struggle to get transport, especially in Powys, for example, where people have to rely on public transport to get to appointments. It’s not always readily available."