Ministers call for hospitals to use alternatives such as text messaging and Skype as one in 10 appointments missed

One in 10 health appointments were missed last year, costing the NHS millions of pounds and delaying treatment for other patients, figures suggest. Hospital patients missed 5.5m appointments last year, according to the Department of Health.

Although the figure is 250,000 lower than the previous year, ministers are calling for hospitals to use more innovative solutions to reduce the number of missed appointments.

Newham University Hospital in London has launched a pilot scheme in which diabetes patients who do not need a physical examination are seen via Skype. A number of hospitals, including King's College, London, and Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust already use a text message system to remind patients of their appointments.

The health minister, Simon Burns, said: "It is important that people realise that not turning up for their agreed appointments means other patients' care might be delayed and doctors' and nurses' time could be wasted, costing taxpayers money.

"Patients often have genuine reasons to miss an appointment, but it can have a big impact on the care we can offer to other patients. Today we are highlighting the number of missed appointments so people can see the impact this is having on their NHS.

It is important that the public understand we have responsibilities too, like not wasting precious NHS resources.

"I'm glad to see that the NHS is increasingly using simple ideas such as texting their patients before an appointment or seeing them via Skype. These could have a dramatic impact and I want to see more hospitals making use of them."