The NHS is being called on by GP leaders to bring a halt to time wasted due to the need to rearrange patients’ missed referral appointments.

Research shows that 4.5% of GP appointments are taken up because hospital referrals are being missed and GPs have to re-book them on their patients’ behalf.

GPC chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul claims that this is as many as 14 million appointments in a year being used to re-book missed referrals. He said this is a ‘scandalous waste,’ which is ‘denying other ill patients access to a GP.’

 Dr Nagpaul has requested NHS England to create new guidelines implementing an automatic re-booking system to make patients and GPs’ lives easier.

Dr Nagpaul also said: ‘we are trying to sort this out at a national level as well as putting pressure on CCGs. But we need NHS England to direct CCGs to ensure every provider stops automatic requests for a re-referral.’

The GPC asks all GPs to contacts hospital and CCGs and request that this new system is put in place.