NHS 24 offers appointment reminders

NHS 24, Scotland’s telehealth and telecare organisation, is to extend the implementation of its Patient Reminder Service after two successful pilot schemes.

One of the initiatives, which was delivered in partnership with NHS Forth Valley, involved NHS 24 staff calling patients to remind them of scheduled appointments. The pilot reduced ‘did not attend’ rates by 27%.

Scottish health secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, said NHS 24 “is providing exciting new services” to help improve quality and efficiency for patients.

“It is every patient’s responsibility to keep their appointments, but we also recognise that the NHS has a role to play in helping to make appointments convenient for patients.

“The reminders have already achieved great results and with more health boards set to trial them we can hope to see a better service for patients and a reduction in NHS time wasted,” she said.

The pilot scheme at Forth Valley was conducted in a number of departments, including gynaecology, paediatrics, gastroenterology and oral maxillofacial clinics.

The service is set to be rolled-out to 15 specialties. Patients will be contacted eight days before their scheduled appointment, which NHS 24 believes will increase capacity.

A detailed evaluation of the project is currently underway but initial results showed that DNA rates, which had become as high as one in four, fell to one in six. A similar service started at the beginning of May with outpatient appointments at NHS Western Isles.

At the moment, the majority of reminders are issued by NHS 24 call operating staff, but the organisation hopes that in future patients will be contacted by automated phone message or SMS text.

NHS 24 chief executive John Turner said the new service was a further extension of NHS 24’s work. Having started as a telephone help and advice line, it now offers web and digital television, telephone based emergency dental care, mental health services and support for those with musculoskeletal problems.