PEOPLE not turning up to appointments cost Dorset County Hospital more than £600,000 in just six months - adding to their 'considerable financial pressures'.

Data from NHS England shows that, between January and June, 5,427 people either did not show up for an outpatient appointment at the trust, or arrived too late to be seen.

With the NHS struggling for funds amid budget cuts and increased demand, the British Medical Association said it was crucial appointments are not wasted while the health service is "under incredible stress".

The average outpatient appointment costs the NHS £120, according to the latest resources cost data.

This means that the 5,427 missed sessions cost Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust around £651,000.

At Dorset Healthcare there were 541 instances of non-attendance or late attendance at outpatient appointments over the same period, costing around £65,000.

A spokesman for Dorset County Hospital said: “Missed appointments do cost the hospital a significant amount of money, which adds to our considerable financial pressures. We urge people to contact us and give us as much notice as possible if they can no longer make an appointment so we can offer that slot to another patient waiting to be seen. We can send people text reminders about appointments if they provide us with a mobile number.”

Dr Robert Harwood, chairman of the BMA's consultant committee, said: “It is important that no appointments are wasted at a time when the NHS is under incredible stress.

"We should not stigmatise patients who may for legitimate reasons be unable to attend.

"However, we do need the NHS to emphasise through clear publicity to the public that given the current unprecedented pressure, patients should make every possible effort to rearrange their appointment so that another person is able to receive treatment in their place.”

At Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, out of the 82,363 outpatient appointments, six per cent of patients did not show up.

The figures show 1,620 people failed to make their first appointment, six per cent of first attendances, while 3,807, or six per cent, did not appear for a subsequent meeting.

At Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust, out of the 5,781 outpatient appointments, nine per cent of patients did not show up.

The figures show 208 people failed to make their first appointment, eight per cent of first attendances, while 333, or nine per cent, did not appear for a subsequent meeting.

A spokesperson from Dorset HealthCare, said: “Missed appointments do cost the NHS money and, importantly, they also mean people may not get the advice, support and care they need. 

“There are times when a person has understandable reasons for why they are unable to attend and we ask everyone to give us as much notice as possible so we can offer their appointment to someone else, and also arrange an alternative appointment for them.”