Around one in 10 hospital appointments are missed every year in England leading to wasted NHS resources.
The cost to the NHS of unused check-ups was estimated at £225million in 2012-13 and they result in worse patient care, inefficient use of hospital staff and increased waiting times.
An upcoming Recorder investigation will look at the price our local hospitals pay for missed appointments and which clinics are worse affected.
We would love to hear from readers about the reasons why patients fail to attend.
Did a letter get lost in the post, was there an admin error that left you fuming, did your car break-down on the way to hospital?
Or were there other genuine reasons why you, or a relative, simply could not get to the appointment?
To discuss your story, contact investigations journalist Emma Youle on 020 7433 0122, or 07785 616 237, or emma.youle@archant.co.uk
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