One in four outpatient calls to Queen’s and King George hospitals do not get answered.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) said the figure, up 28 per cent since mid-July when an improvement scheme was launched, was “still not good enough”.

Chief executive Matthew Hopkins said: “We know how frustrating it can be for our patients when they try and call us to change their appointments,” adding: “We will continue to focus on this area to improve the overall patient experience.”

About 15 per cent of patients do not attend their outpatient appointments at the two hospitals run by BHRUT, he added.

The figure came in an update published by the trust on improvement since it was placed in special measures by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 12 months ago.

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1 in 5 wait more than four hours at Queen’s and King George A&Es