Fewer people are missing their appointments
We’re committed to improving how patients access and experience outpatient care – and it’s starting to pay off.
Since introducing the patient portal (powered by DrDoctor) across Barts Health last month, we’ve seen a significant drop in missed appointments – from 12.1% in March to 9.7% April. The new portal issues outpatient appointment reminders via text message giving patients better access to their appointment details. The drop in missed appointments is our lowest rate since the pandemic and is a positive sign that new, smarter ways of working are making a difference.
The patient portal helps patients by sending appointment reminders by text or email, making it easier to keep track of care and reducing the chances of missing appointments. Over the next year, we plan to introduce new features that will allow patients to cancel or reschedule appointments directly – giving you more flexibility and control.
This improvement is part of a wider programme to modernise outpatient services at Barts Health. We’ve already launched Patient Knows Best, a personal health record that gives people more access to their own health information, and we’re continuing to introduce better, more sustainable communication tools such as hybrid mail which is helping to reduce letter delays.
We have revised our elective access policy, will help ensure that we book and manage appointments in a fairer and more consistent way. For example, If someone misses two appointments without telling us, they might be taken off the waiting list. That’s because every missed appointment means someone else has to wait longer.
But if you let us know you can’t come — even at the last minute — we can offer that space to someone else, and help you find a better time. Sometimes, we might even offer you an appointment at a different hospital where you can be seen sooner. You don’t have to say yes, but it gives you more choice.
Need to change your appointment?
Every missed appointment is a missed opportunity for someone else who needs care. If you can’t attend your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible. Cancelling or rescheduling your appointment means we can offer it to someone else, helping us reduce waiting times and make the best use of resources.
To cancel or reschedule your appointment, please ring the number on your appointment letter or ring the hospital switchboard listed on our managing your appointment page to be put through to the right department.
Read more