Thousands of patients see NHS hospital referrals lost in ‘black hole’
NHS hospital referrals lost in ‘black hole’ leaving patients in limbo
- A study by Healthwatch England reveals that one in seven NHS patient referrals, equating to 14 per cent, are lost, rejected or never dispatched.
- Seven out of ten affected patients only discover their referral status after personally contacting NHS teams, highlighting significant communication failures.
- While 62 per cent of patients expressed satisfaction with the referral process, 23 per cent reported dissatisfaction, despite an improvement from 21 per cent of referrals being lost or rejected in 2023.
- Healthwatch England urges healthcare leaders to address these "referral black holes" to improve patient safety and outcomes, citing cases like a retired NHS worker left "stuck in limbo" awaiting specialist care.
- The Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged the issue as "not acceptable" but stated improvements are being made, including a £1.1 billion investment in general practice and increased doctor recruitment.