Service which enables people to manage their own hospital appointments 'really valued' by Lancaster patients, says NHS board

An online portal which allows patients to book and reschedule appointments across most specialisms within University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust could help lower the rate of missed hospital appointments, as well as enhance efficiency for NHS staff, and help hospitals save money.

Early findings from the NHS showed that patients are less likely to miss appointments that they have been able to book themselves, with the rate of non-attendance decreasing from 7.5 per cent (for appointments booked by hospitals) to 2.25 per cent (for appointments booked by the patients themselves).

Asim Patel, chief digital officer for NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board, said: “This has proved to be really valued by the patients using it, as well as being efficient for the staff teams who would previously have supported booking and rescheduling appointments.

“It is also helping to save hospitals money – sending digital outpatients and wider clinical letters has the potential to save over £1m per year in postage costs alone.”

There are plans to link the patient portal – which gives patients access to outpatient appointment booking and rescheduling – to the NHS App and to roll it out more widely, starting with East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and Lancashire Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The NHS said a rollout of the NHS App across the north west has helped hospitals free up appointment slots and save money through reduced appointment letters and text reminders.

Dr Michael Gregory, regional medical director for NHS England in the north west, said: “By connecting hospital patient portals with the NHS app, more patients can now have a single view of their hospital referrals and outpatient appointments, alongside their health records and services such as ordering repeat prescriptions.

“This improves patient experience, giving them greater choice and flexibility over how and when they book appointments and the ability to reschedule them if needed, while also freeing up admin and clinical time so that patients can be seen and treated more quickly.”