NHS urges Brits to switch on app feature now after 16,000,000 patients miss out on care
NHS Launches Initiative to Reduce Missed Appointments as 16 Million Patients Fall Through the Cracks
New NHS data reveals 16 million GP appointments were missed in 2025, with 4.3% of these cases attributed to patients failing to attend.
This represents a full day of missed appointments at every GP practice in England each month, with the financial impact likely to be substantial when factored in.
Survey Highlights Common Reasons for Missed Appointments
A nationwide survey highlighted that nearly a quarter of individuals missed medical appointments due to forgetfulness or arriving too late.
NHS App Campaign Aims to Improve Attendance
Despite a 2.3% rise in GP appointments, with 8.4 million more scheduled last year, the total number now stands at 376 million.
With strained budgets, funding reductions, and rising wait times, the NHS has introduced a new campaign to address this preventable issue.
As part of ‘Tap the NHS App’, Brits are being urged to enable notifications, with promotional messages now appearing on pharmacy bags, radio stations, and social media platforms.
App Features Enhance Patient Management
Not only does this app remind users of appointments, it allows them to cancel or rearrange those they can’t make, and request repeat prescriptions.
An ‘Amazon-style’ prescription feature, launched in partnership with 2,000 pharmacies across England, provides real-time updates on order status and pickup availability.
‘In the busy lives we all lead, it can be easy to forget an NHS appointment or need to reorganise it at the last minute,’ said Dr Zubir Ahmed, Health Innovation Minister. ‘That’s why I’d encourage everyone to tap the NHS App and turn on notifications – so you can stay on top of your appointments and let us know if you need to reschedule. When you do, someone else can be seen instead, helping us continue to cut waiting times.’
‘It’s fantastic to see that GPs provided more than 8 million extra appointments for their patients in 2025, and I hope this new campaign will help increase that number even more in 2026,’ added Dr Amanda Doyle, national director for primary care and community services at NHS England. ‘I’d encourage all NHS App users to make the most of what the app has to offer so they never forget an appointment.’
Growing Preference for Digital GP Access
Latest ONS figures show that people typically now prefer to contact their GP online when they have a health problem.
More than three quarters (75.2%) of adults found it easy to contact their GP practice, up from 71.6% a year ago, with over 40 million users now registered with the NHS App.
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