Marlyn Glen today released the answer her Parliamentary Questions on missed hospital appointments showing that over 10,900 people missed first- time appointments in NHS Tayside in the year up to March 2007.

A further question revealed that the average cost of an attendance at a consultant out-patient clinic was just over £100.

Ms. Glen said that the latest figure for missed appointments had dropped from 12,494 the year before, but that failure to keep appointments " represents a drain on NHS resources."

Ms. Glen said,

"The vast majority of patients assume responsibility for attending hospital appointments.

"There are occasions when appointments cannot be kept through illness, emergencies or administrative factors.

"However, patients who have no good reason for missing an appointments must realise that not keeping the appointment has a drain on NHS resources.

"NHS time and effort that could have been put to better use are being wasted."

Ms. Glen said that Scottish Executive figures given to her last year showed that in 2005-06, the number of missed first-time hospital appointments in NHS Tayside was 12,494.

"The reduction this year in the number of missed appointments is to be welcomed, and it reflects positively on the hard work that NHS Tayside have devoted to achieving higher appointment attendances."