NHS Urges Brits to Activate App Feature to Prevent Missed Appointments

NHS data reveals that 16 million general practitioner (GP) appointments were not attended in 2025, with 4.3% classified as no-shows. This amounts to an entire day of unattended appointments at each GP clinic in England every month, with the associated financial burden likely to be significant.

A national survey conducted by the health service found that nearly a quarter of individuals missed a medical appointment due to forgetfulness or arriving late. Despite this, 8.4 million additional GP appointments were scheduled last year, raising the total to 376 million.

With shrinking budgets and growing delays for patients, the NHS has introduced a new initiative to tackle this preventable issue. The campaign focuses on encouraging users to enable notifications through the NHS App, with ads appearing on pharmacy bags, radio channels, and social media platforms.

The app not only sends reminders for scheduled visits but also enables users to reschedule or cancel appointments when necessary, and request repeat prescriptions. A notable feature launched last year was an “Amazon-style” prescription service, available via 2,000 pharmacies across England, which tracks order status and delivery times.

“In the busy lives we all lead, it can be easy to forget an NHS appointment or need to reorganise it at the last minute. That’s why I’d encourage everyone to tap the NHS App and turn on notifications – so you can stay on top of your appointments and let us know if you need to reschedule. When you do, someone else can be seen instead, helping us continue to cut waiting times,” said Dr Zubir Ahmed, Health Innovation Minister.

“I’d encourage all NHS App users to make the most of what the app has to offer so they never forget an appointment,” added Dr Amanda Doyle, national director for primary care and community services at NHS England.

Recent ONS data indicates that individuals increasingly opt for online communication with their GP when dealing with health concerns. Over 75.2% of adults reported finding it easy to reach their practice, up from 71.6% the previous year, with more than 40 million users now registered with the NHS App.

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