Text reminders to cut down missed appointments 

Text messages are being sent to outpatients in a bid to crackdown on people missing hospital appointments.

According to the Department of Health and Social Care there's evidence from the UK, and further afield, to show early-warning reminders can bring down non-attendance rates. 

Reminder messages will now be sent three days before an appointment - it's designed to give people time to make arrangements to attend or rearrange if needed. 

The initiative is part of the Digital Future Strategy being rolled out in the Health Service - missed appointments are said to lead to 'financial insufficiencies'. 

Patients will have to opt-in to the SMS service - all patients will also continue to receive appointment letters by post.