THE number of people missing appointments at Oxford’s hospitals has grown despite a campaign to cut them.

In 2008 the Oxford Radcliffe Hospital Trust (ORH) launched a text messaging service to remind patients not to miss their appointments, after it revealed 41,444 slots had not been attended in the year 2007/08.

Each missed appointment at the John Radcliffe, Churchill and Horton hospitals, costs an average of £10-£15 in lost time and resources, meaning the missed appointments – labelled ‘did not attends’ – cost the trust up to £621,000.

It had been hoped the text messaging system would help tackle the problem.

But according to the latest Government figures covering 2009/10, the number of appointments missed has risen to 42,957, costing the trust up to £645,000.

An ORH spokesman said: “An enormous amount of planning goes into ensuring the population served by the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust has access to the best quality patient care.

“When patients come to hospital, their care often involves a team of people – an operation like a tonsillectomy, for instance, may involve two doctors and five nurses in a theatre team, not including the support team arranging appointments and the nursing team involved in after-care.

“Outpatient clinics and operating theatre time for patients having planned treatment follow a timetable, so if someone doesn’t turn up we have to reschedule their appointment and potentially that puts someone else further down the queue.”

The text messaging system reminds patients two or three days before the appointment that they need to attend, or to call freephone number 0845 330 8888 to cancel or rebook.

The hospital said it has recently made patient letters much more specific, with contact information and instructions for changing appointment days and times more clearly presented.

A ‘choose and book system’ also means patients can pick a date which suits them.

The ORH said figures for 2010/11, which will be released later this year, will show a drop in the number of people missing appointments, but said patients did need to make more of an effort.

A spokesman added: “To make the system work we all need to be working towards the same goal.”

The text messaging service cost £5,000 to set up. Last night the trust was unable to provide details of how much it cost to run.