Patients failing to attend GP appointments have cost the NHS in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire more than £9.25 million in the last year.

Between October 2024 and September 2025, patients did not attend 308,538 appointments at their GP practice.

No one wants to see appointment slots wasted, and patients will not be missing their appointments on purpose, but we can all work together to make the most of the NHS’s resources.

With demand for appointments set to peak as we enter the winter period and GP time becoming even more precious, the NHS is asking patients to always make sure they cancel any appointments they are unable to attend so that they can be allocated to someone else.

As well as being able to cancel or amend appointments by phone, many GP practices also have the facility for patients to cancel on their website or by using the NHS App.

Struggling? Speak to your GP practice

If you are struggling to get to an appointment in person, you can speak to your GP practice about changing to a telephone appointment instead, if it’s appropriate.

If you need a face-to-face appointment and are struggling to attend due to a lack of transport, there are a number of local public and community transport options for patients to access, depending on where you live:

Dr Dave Briggs, Executive Director of Outcomes (Medical) at NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, said: “The overall number of GP appointments being provided in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire has been increasing year on year, and although missed appointments account for less than 4% of the nearly 8 million provided over the same period, it is still a significant drain on NHS resources and precious GP practice time.

•  Nottingham: Five city centre stores failed to age-check knife purchases in police operation

“There are all kinds of legitimate reasons why people can’t attend appointments or no longer need them. People may feel better, they may have got advice or medication from another healthcare professional such as a pharmacist, they may have work or childcare commitments, or a lack of transport.

“But whatever the reason for an appointment no longer being needed, or if you can no longer attend, it’s vital you contact your practice to either cancel or rearrange. The practice may be able to help you if there’s an access issue, change it to a telephone appointment, or refer you to another healthcare professional.”

‘No Show? Let your GP know’

NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire is asking people to keep their GP practice informed about attendance at appointments through a new ‘No Show? Let your GP know’ campaign.

It’s also reminding patients about the many NHS services available in most local pharmacies, which they can access without needing to see their GP. These include:

Free blood pressure checks for people aged 40 and over

Free contraception pills without a prescription

The Pharmacy First service, which means pharmacies can provide NHS prescription medicine for seven common conditions, including sore throats, earache, and shingles, without needing to see a GP (age restrictions apply). See pharmacyfirstnottinghamshire.com

Celia Knight from the Linden Medical Group Surgery Patients’ Participation Group in Stapleford said: “In October, there were 220 missed appointments at the Linden Practice, which meant that 220 other people had to wait longer than necessary to get an appointment.

“There will always be a small number of situations where people are unable to cancel, but if everyone else who no longer wanted an appointment contacted the surgery either by phone, online, or by calling in, it would make a huge difference to the waiting lists.

“The NHS is under huge pressure at this time of year. As patients, we need to do everything we can to help. So, please encourage friends, family, and neighbours to cancel appointments when they no longer need them.”

•  Appeal after 16-year-old dies in e-scooter crash in Nottingham