Cancelled appointment follow-up
Hospital policies for cancelled appointments lacking clinical input to assess individual patient urgency, risking vulnerable patients.
144 items
9 sources
Strongest theme matches
Mixed across source types and ranked by classifier confidence plus text match strength.
Committee recommendation
91match
#12 - NHS England failed to reduce outpatient follow-up appointments, abandoning its 25% target
NHSE has aimed to free up capacity in outpatient services to allow more patients from the waiting list to be seen. In 2022, NHSE set a target to reduce outpatient follow-up appointments by 25% compared with 2019–20 levels by March 2023. The outpatients programme spent £52 million from 2021–22 to 2023–24. The NAO reported it had not seen...
Matched on
terms: appointment, follow
PFD report
81match
Joseph Powell
GPs failing to proactively book follow-up appointments for mental health patients, instead requiring them to self-book, often results in missed care and medication for vulnerable individuals.
Matched on
terms: appointment, follow
PFD report
77match
Gemma Azhar
Repeated mental health appointment cancellations by administrators, without clinical follow-up, left patients at risk. The "formal position" for duty worker contact after cancellations lacks proper policy, training, or consistent application.
Matched on
terms: appointment, follow
PFD report
77match
Imre Thomas
Cancelled hospital appointments put vulnerable prisoners at risk, highlighting a need to investigate organizing special prison clinics for hospital consultants.
Matched on
terms: appointment, cancelled
PFD report
77match
Jacqueline Cobain
Concerning responses to an automatic questionnaire were not reviewed by a clinician until after the patient's death because the appointment had been cancelled; there is no system or protocol to alert a clinician to review concerning responses when the assessment appointment is not for several days/weeks.
Matched on
terms: appointment, cancelled
PFD report
75match
Connor Davies
Repeated cancellation of consultant psychiatrist appointments without clinical input on patient urgency meant individuals at serious need could "fall through the net," as a preventative system was not yet operational.
Matched on
terms: appointment
PFD report
73match
Amanda Hawkins
Patient vulnerability was exacerbated by service changes and failures in coordinating care, including sending critical appointment letters directly to a patient unable to understand them, and a lack of follow-up on missed appointments.
Matched on
terms: appointment, follow
PFD report
73match
Suzanne Greenwood
Lack of systems and protocols for contacting patients who miss appointments, informing GPs of non-attendance or discharge, and ensuring continuity of care when patients are lost to follow-up.
Matched on
terms: appointment, follow
PFD report
73match
Shelia Stokes
Systemic delays plagued patient care, including following up on missed appointments, acting on alerts, and an inadequate protocol for obtaining custom-made grafts, all exacerbated by an incomplete internal investigation.
Matched on
terms: appointment, follow
PFD report
73match
Paul Bradley
Despite the patient being documented as hard of hearing, the urological appointment was offered by telephone; there was no clear system in place to follow up on a patient who missed an important urology appointment, and there was no clear system in place to ensure that the teams involved communicated with each other.
Matched on
terms: appointment, follow
PFD report
69match
Hugo Carlos
The GP clinical system lacks a scheduled task feature for future alerts, burdening patients with follow-up responsibility and risking missed essential investigations.
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terms: follow
PFD report
65match
Ann Hardman
The DVT scan protocol relies on GP referrals for follow-up, risking patients missing re-scans. An automatic re-booking system from the ultrasound department is needed to improve compliance.
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terms: follow
PPO recommendation
65match
The Head of Healthcare
The Head of Healthcare should ensure that healthcare staff follow up prisoners’ non-attendance at medical appointments and document the reasons.
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terms: appointment, follow
IMB recommendation
64match
Wormwood Scrubs (2020)
Will the minister instigate, at a national level, a policy which will ensure that prisoners who have had their hospital appointments cancelled, through no fault of their own, are not returned to the start of the appointments process?
Matched on
terms: appointment, cancelled
LGO / SPSO decision
63match
201708551 - Tayside NHS Board
Mrs C was referred by her GP to the orthopaedic department (the area of medicine which deals with the musculoskeletal system) at Ninewells Hospital for consideration of knee replacement surgery. However, there were problems with the communications from the board which resulted in her missing a scheduled out-patient clinic appointment. Mrs C questioned this with the board and...
Matched on
terms: appointment, cancelled
PFD report
61match
Michael Halfpenny
A GP referral for vascular screening was sent to the wrong department and refused, with no follow-up. Both GP practice and hospital screening teams lacked awareness and proper systems for managing screening referrals.
Matched on
terms: follow
PFD report
61match
Robert Power
A patient was "lost to follow-up" for eight years after an incorrect diagnosis, highlighting a risk of future deaths if outpatient care is not consistently maintained.
Matched on
terms: follow
PFD report
61match
John Lee
A clerical error severely delayed an urgent vascular appointment, changing an elective procedure to an emergency and contributing to the patient's death, highlighting issues with ambiguous terminology and inadequate checking systems.
Matched on
terms: appointment
PFD report
61match
Hannah Bampfylde
Poor communication protocols meant Hannah's GP was unaware of her non-engagement with mental health services. The engagement policy lacked clarity on re-booking appointments and escalating non-attendance, allowing newly referred patients to slip through the system.
Matched on
terms: appointment
PFD report
61match
Stephen Barton
The NHS lacks a system for tracking non-cancer outpatient appointments, unlike cancer cases. Implementing such a system could prevent unnecessary deaths and improve administrative efficiency.
Matched on
terms: appointment
PFD report
61match
Rachelle Ross
GP IT systems lack automatic flags for patients who miss national smear test invitations, leading to inconsistent follow-up and reduced patient safety.
Matched on
terms: follow
PFD report
61match
Sara Grinnell
Extensive and repeated delays in urgent gynaecology appointments, relying only on written correspondence, resulted in a significant 24-month diagnostic delay. There were missed opportunities to escalate urgency upon re-referral.
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terms: appointment
PFD report
61match
Lady Lola Crouch
The patient was not informed of potential malignancy findings from a CT scan, leading to missed follow-up. Additionally, insufficient medical staffing caused delayed responses to urgent patient deterioration.
Matched on
terms: follow
IMB recommendation
60match
Buckley Hall (2020)
Reduce the number of cancelled outside medical appointments (see paragraph 6.1.4)
Matched on
terms: appointment, cancelled
LGO / SPSO decision
60match
21-011-833 - Sheffield City Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a cancelled pest control appointment and incorrect advice about when a refund for that service would be made. This is because the Council has resolved the matter to the satisfaction of the complainant.
Matched on
terms: appointment, cancelled
LGO / SPSO decision
60match
201702683 - Golden Jubilee National Hospital
Mr C had a scan at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital. A mass was discovered on his lung, which could have been either a spread of his existing bowel cancer or a new lung cancer. His consultant arranged some tests to help determine which it was, but because they were busy, they asked another consultant to carry out...
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terms: appointment, follow
IMB recommendation
59match
Swaleside (2020)
There is an unacceptable number of cancelled outside hospital appointments which, apart from the distress that it causes patients, places a burden on the public purse and wastes NHS time which could usefully be used for other patients (see section 6.1).
Matched on
terms: appointment, cancelled
PFD report
57match
Luke Moulding
A critical "opt-in" follow-up letter was not sent after a psychiatric consultation, and the current system of typing letters rather than using pre-printed materials caused significant delays.
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terms: follow
PFD report
57match
Milos Jankovic
Inadequate follow-up for Barrett’s oesophagus in primary care, including a lack of routine recall and prompts for GPs to consider endoscopy, is leading to missed surveillance and preventable cancers.
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terms: follow
Article 2 learning point
56match
AC — HMP Brixton - LP H
A much more robust system should be in place to account for missed medical appointments. This system should explore reasons for non-attendance, emerging patterns of non-attendance and identify vulnerable prisoners. As happened with the Substance Misuse Team, two consecutive failures to attend GP appointments should trigger a visit to the patient in their cell.
Matched on
terms: appointment
LGO / SPSO decision
56match
201602805 - Highland NHS Board
Mr C was referred to a urologist at Raigmore Hospital to have his history of erectile dysfunction and low testosterone investigated. Mr C raised a complaint nine months later as he had not received an appointment and was distressed by his ongoing symptoms. The board informed Mr C that there was a long waiting list. Mr C raised...
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terms: appointment
IMB annual report
56match
Buckley Hall (2020)
HMP Buckley Hall, a Category C training prison with an operational capacity of 459, received positive HMIP inspection results and was ranked highly among UK prisons. Staff efforts to keep prisoners safe during the COVID-19 lockdown were commended, with minimal positive cases. Key concerns included high rates of cancelled external medical appointments, under-completion of key worker sessions due...
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terms: appointment, cancelled
PHSO casework decision
56match
P-001905 - County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Miss O complains the Trust did not follow up on an appointment and book more surgery.
Matched on
terms: appointment, follow
LGO / SPSO decision
55match
201810251 - Highland NHS Board
C complained that the board failed to provide their child (A) with orthognathic treatment (orthognathics is a specialist subset of dentistry which involves surgical correction of growth issues with the jaw and lower face) within a reasonable timescale. A's teeth were overcrowded to the extent that they caused pain in their head and jaw and difficulties with eating...
Matched on
terms: appointment, follow
LGO / SPSO decision
55match
PSOW-202305250 - Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Mr A complained that the Health Board refused to warn patients referred to the Erectile Dysfunction Therapy clinic in advance that they would be expected to be examined and counselled by female clinicians. He said that the Health Board hid the fact that it would be a female clinician by sending appointment letters that just referred to a...
Matched on
terms: appointment, follow
LGO / SPSO decision
55match
PSOW-202400981 - Hywel Dda University Health Board
Ms B complained, with the help of a Complaints Advocate, about the standard of care provided by the Health Board. The investigation considered whether the care and treatment provided at the Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (“EPAU”) on 21 March 2023 was clinically appropriate, and whether the subsequent Community Midwife Team (“CMT”) care provided was clinically appropriate. The Ombudsman...
Matched on
terms: appointment, follow
IMB recommendation
53match
Berwyn (2020)
Did not attend appointments, DNA
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terms: appointment
PHSO casework decision
52match
P-004361 - University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Mr A complains the Trust removed him from the waiting list for an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) appointment in August 2024 after it incorrectly said Mr A had missed multiple calls. He also complains the Trust incorrectly advised him, and his wife, that it had re-listed him for his ENT appointment, but he received communication from the...
Matched on
terms: appointment
LGO / SPSO decision
52match
201600464 - Lothian NHS Board - Acute Division
Mr C was referred by his GP for a possible hernia operation. Mr C complained to us that the board failed to arrange his operation within the 12-week treatment time guarantee under the Patients Rights (Scotland) Act and that they failed to advise him of his rights under that Act. He also complained that they failed to arrange...
Matched on
terms: appointment
PHSO casework decision
52match
P-001822 - Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Dr O complains the Trust did not request urgent gastrological investigations as agreed in her outpatient appointment.
Matched on
terms: appointment
LGO / SPSO decision
52match
201605507 - Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board - Acute Services Division
Mr C complained that there was an unreasonable delay in the board providing him with treatment on his right eye. Mr C is diabetic and was referred to Gartnavel General Eye Hospital when he began having problems with the vision in his right eye. Mr C was seen by the vitreo-retinal (relating to the back of the eye)...
Matched on
terms: appointment
LGO / SPSO decision
52match
201606971 - Shetland NHS Board
Miss C complained that the board unreasonably removed her from a waiting list for orthodontic treatment. She also complained that they had failed to tell her that she had been removed from the waiting list and had not provided her with a reasonable explanation of why she had been removed. We took independent advice from a dental surgeon....
Matched on
terms: appointment
PHSO casework decision
51match
P-002672 - A practice in the Lincolnshire area
Ms R complains the Practice ignored her requests for face-to-face appointments and cancelled appointments at the last minute, it did not act on the results of tests or recommendations from referrals, it ignored her symptoms and said they were psychosomatic and failed to add, alter or remove significant information in her medical records.
Matched on
terms: appointment, cancelled
PHSO casework decision
51match
P-003240 - Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Mr T complains about the Trust from 2020 until 2023 saying its record keeping was not up to date, it did not let him know about a cancelled appointment, it took too long to refer him and it sent him lots of unnecessary letters about appointments and cancellations.
Matched on
terms: appointment, cancelled
PHSO casework decision
51match
P-003493 - An independent provider in the Sheffield area
Ms L complains the Trust incorrectly declined to carry out a hysterectomy in February 2024. She also complains about the Trust’s poor communication on the day of her cancelled surgery and the days following it.
Matched on
terms: cancelled, follow
LGO / SPSO decision
51match
201508735 - Tayside NHS Board
Mrs C learned that she had a gene mutation which increased the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. She decided to have surgery to remove both breasts to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, and reconstruction surgery. Her surgery was cancelled on the morning she was due to be admitted. The board said that the cancellation was...
Matched on
terms: cancelled, follow
LGO / SPSO decision
51match
201700482 - Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board - Acute Services Division
Mr C complained that the board failed to provide him with clinic appointments within a reasonable timescale. He also raised concern that the board failed to provide him with adequate notice of the cancellation and rescheduling of appointments, and he was unhappy with the board's handling of his complaint. The board did not provide us with records and...
Matched on
terms: appointment, follow
LGO / SPSO decision
51match
201609412 - Lanarkshire NHS Board
Mrs C, who is an advocacy and support worker, complained on behalf of her client (Mrs A). Mrs A was unhappy about delays in getting confirmation of an appointment with a consultant ophthalmologist (a doctor who deals with injuries and conditions in and around the eye). Mrs A was also unhappy with ophthalmology advice and treatment provided to...
Matched on
terms: appointment, cancelled
LGO / SPSO decision
51match
PSOW-202407137 - Hywel Dda University Health Board
Mrs A complained about Hywel Dda University Health Board (“the Health Board’s”) failure to provide her mother with timely Ophthalmology clinic appointments to treat her age-related eye disease. The Ombudsman noted that whilst the Health Board in its complaint response had provided an explanation about the timing of appointments and also referred to national guidance in this area,...
Matched on
terms: appointment, follow
PFD report
49match
Caitlin Imber
CAMHS closed a referral for a vulnerable child due to missing contact information without making further enquiries, causing a significant and potentially dangerous delay in support.
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classifier match