The recent public mandate for change has led to a new government determined to tackle one of the most pressing issues facing the UK: the NHS waitlist crisis. With nearly eight million people currently waiting for care, and projections indicating this could exceed ten million without swift intervention, the urgency for reform is undeniable. Labour's ambitious pledge to add 40,000 more appointments each week brings hope, particularly as a new poll we did revealed that 86% of senior NHS decision-makers think the extra appointments will help patients get seen faster.  
However, to truly harness the potential of these additional appointments, a critical focus must be placed on technology investment. Investing in the right technology and supporting a system level digital transformation of the infrastructure of the NHS, will be a first step in the right direction in managing appointments and ultimately reducing the waiting list. There are good bones in the NHS app but we need to do more with AI to inform decision making and empower patients to take more control over their own healthcare.  
 
So, how do we take the grand ambition of transforming the systems of a behemoth like the NHS and boil it down into an actionable plan? And why is it so important?  
 
The Technology Imperative 
Without substantial investment in technologies that let patients log in, view, cancel, or rearrange appointments in real-time, the NHS will continue to face high volumes of 'Did Not Attend' (DNA) appointments. The number of missed appointments is as high as the waiting list and they not only waste valuable resources but also delay care for other patients. By empowering people with more control over their healthcare schedules, the NHS can enhance efficiency and open unwanted appointments up to other patients. 
 
So what does a truly successful healthcare model for the future look like? It has to be somewhere in the middle of virtual and in-person. We should be widely adopting a hybrid healthcare model.  
 
Many patients still need to be seen in person in order to properly diagnose and identify any red flag symptoms. But, on the flip side, many patients who don’t need to be seen in person are still being asked to come in - this is where a hybrid model allows for earlier action, from advice from home via a phone call or video consultation, to instant treatment where needed. Hybrid healthcare ensures the right patients are seen in the right place at the right time.  
 
To truly deliver hybrid healthcare, we need to harness proven tools like Patient Engagement Platforms (PEPs) that act as two-way communication portal for patients and clinical teams. Through PEPs, patients can directly access the appointment calendar, view slots in real-time, and confirm, rearrange, or cancel appointments. They can also prepare by filling in digital forms and assessments beforehand, so healthcare professionals have all necessary information in advance. Universal adoption of this approach would reduce the number of appointments logged in the system as DNAs - valuable appointment slots that could have otherwise been used by someone else. And not only will this reduce DNA’s, but it will allow a more positive service user experience.  
 
Managing the Influx: The Three P’s Strategy 
There needs to be a strategic approach to managing the influx of new appointment slots Labour is working on. Otherwise, there's a risk of chaos, or, worse, the appointments go unused. At DrDoctor, we use the Three P’s: Promote, Prevent, Prepare to shape the design of our tools. And if Trusts can adopt similar thinking, the delivery of hybrid healthcare is well within our grasp.  
 
Promote: It's crucial to promote the availability of new appointment slots to patients through various communication channels. SMS/RCS, email, etc - let’s approach connecting with patients in a similar way consumer businesses do to reach patients where they are and give every appointment the best chance of being filled.  
 
Prevent: Preventing DNAs is a significant challenge that can be addressed through the right technology. Putting more control into patient’s hands is one aspect but within the NHS, AI tools can be utilised to identify and predict likely DNA rates based on previous attendance history. This intel can then be used to firstly, inform a data-driven booking policy specific to each Trust and secondly, to trigger automated reminders via SMS, email, or app notifications.  
 
Prepare: Preparing both the NHS staff and patients for the new appointment landscape is vital. Yes, the NHS is short staffed, but recruiting can be a long and expensive process. We can and should instead be creating a system which works harder with existing resources by helping our staff to become more efficient with their time – rather than working extra hours. Using technology, including AI to do much of the back office heavy lifting, we can ensure clinics are capacity optimised and resourced correctly so that missed slots are a thing of the past.  
 
Moving forward  
 
The promise of 40,000 more weekly appointments is a step in the right direction, but it’s clear that to make a significant dent in the NHS waitlist, technological investment is also non-negotiable. By facilitating real-time appointment management, these tools can help reduce DNAs, improve patient satisfaction, and make the NHS more efficient. Meanwhile, adopting the Three P’s strategy will not only address the immediate crisis but also sets the stage for a more resilient and responsive healthcare system in the future.   Tom Whicher, CEO and Co-Founder of DrDoctor