MORE than 350 appointments were missed in just one month at a Southampton surgery, prompting practice managers to back the Daily Echo’s Turn Up or Tell ‘Em campaign.

A study by practice manager Pete McCullagh, found that the Chessel Surgery which he runs recorded 384 Did Not Attend (DNA) sessions during March.

Although further research would be needed to understand the cause of all those missed appointments Mr McCullagh said the figure appeared to be typical of the appointments lost during an average month.

Mr McCullagh said he fully supported the Daily Echo’s campaign which was to encourage patients to ensure they turned up for appointments with their GP or to ensure they cancelled it in good time to allow others the opportunity of seeing a doctor quicker.

It is hoped the campaign will lead to reduced waiting times across the city’s surgeries.

Mr McCullagh also runs the Bath Lane surgery where posters promoting our campaign were also being displayed.

Mr McCullagh said: “That is the raw DNA figure there could well be reasons behind some of those but when I submitted figures in previous months it was around that same number.

“Those appointments could be used by our other patients who are waiting for a routine appointment so it is hugely important that if an appointment is no longer needed, then it is cancelled.

“I know people may try to get through and the line is engaged but it is very important to keep trying to get the message through that the appointment is not needed,” he added.

He said it was often reception staff at the surgeries to have to deal with patients who are frustrated with the waiting times to book a routine appointment.

The Turn Up or Tell ‘Em campaign was launched last month after the Daily Echo revealed how 6,300 missed appointments were recorded in Southampton in December 2015 alone – costing the health service £140,000.

The shocking statistics were revealed in a survey carried out by NHS Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) which manages the NHS money spent in the city.

l Have you got a story which we could highlight or do you want to back our campaign? Contact Maxwell Kusi-Obodem on 023 8042 4498.