70-74 year olds are the age group best at keeping hospital appointments

Between 2007 and 2007, 6.5 million patients failed to turn up for hospital appointments, costing around £100 per patient in revenue.

Data has shown the costs are enough to run two medium-size hospitals, while The Patients Association said missing an appointment was “unforgiveable”.

New initiatives such as text message reminders have begun, so patients can cancel appointments by text.

Young men in their early 20s are the worst at keeping appointments, whilst people aged 70 to 74 are the most conscientious about keeping appointments, figures from UK health departments and analysts Dr Foster Intelligence showed.

Some clinics in the UK are now over-booking patients in anticipation of no shows. Karen Jennings head of health at Unison warned, ‘Hospitals who go down the route of over-booking, based on previous experience of missed appointments, must ensure that it doesn’t disadvantage patients if there is a 100% turn-out’.