Hospital Outpatient Activity 2025-26

In 2025-26 there were 150.3 million outpatient appointments, of which 116.9 million were attended by patients.

This represents a 2.9% increase in appointments and a 3.2% increase in attendances from 2023-24.

Attendances, whether first or subsequent, as a proportion of total appointments, have decreased over the period from 78.9% in 2015-16 to 77.8% in 2025-26.

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, 'Did Not Attends' (DNAs) increased by just under 7,000 (0.1%) and 'Patient Cancellations' increased by just under 284,000 (2.7%). 'Hospital Cancellations' increased by 427,000 (3.2%).

Whilst the volume of DNAs and patient cancellations have slightly increased on 2024-25 levels, as a proportion of overall activity they have slightly fallen from 5.58% to 5.42% for DNAs and 7.15% to 7.13% for cancellations. Both are also down on pre-COVID rates (which, for 2019-20, were 6.16% for DNAs and 7.51% for patient cancellations).

At 9.26% in 2025-26, 'Hospital Cancellations' exceeded the proportions seen prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (8.71% in 2019-20), and they are marginally higher than 2024-25 (9.24%) , although they were still down compared to 2023-24 (9.85%). 

In 2025-26, the London Commissioning Region had the highest number of appointments (33.5 million) and attendances (24.2 million), while the South West Commissioning Region had the lowest number of appointments (14.1 million). The East of England Commissioning Region had the lowest number of attendances (11.3 million).

However, the London Commissioning Region also had the lowest percentage of appointments that were attended in 2025-26 (72.2%), while the South West Commissioning Region had the highest (81.2%). Attendance rates for other regions varied between 77.8% (East) and 79.9% (Midlands).

There were 67.5 million attendances for females (58.6%), compared to 47.8 million for males (41.4%).

For females, the age group with greatest number of attendances was 30-34 years (6.0 million); for males it was 75-79 years (5.1 million). When maternity-related activity is excluded, the female age group with the greatest number of attendances was also 75-79 years (5.2 million).

Patients aged 60 years and over accounted for 45.4% of all attendances (52.4 million).

40.0% of attendances for females aged 20-39 years were for maternity services, defined as where the treatment specialty was either ‘Obstetrics’ or ‘Midwife Episode’.

The ‘Other’ ethnic group recorded both the highest rate of appointments (336,300), attendances (246,900) and 'Did Not Attend' (DNA) appointments (25,100) per 100,000 population.

Rates per 100,000 population were similar for the Asian and White population for appointments (227,100 and 211,700, respectively) and attendances (169,300 and 165,700, respectively). Black patients had somewhat higher rates, at 265,600 for appointments and 198,200 for attendances.

Among Asian and particularly Black patients, DNAs were more prevalent, with 14,900 and 23,300 per 100,000 population, respectively, compared to 10,300 for the White ethnic group. Whereas appointment and attendance rates have increased among all groups compared to 2024-25 activity levels, DNA rates have remained largely the same.