A radical new scheme aimed at cutting the number of people who fail to turn up for hospital appointments is proving a success.

People now have the opportunity to book a date for some treatments and procedures to suit their family, work and other commitments.

The booking appointment schemes are running at Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, the Conquest Hospital, Hastings, and Eastbourne District General Hospital.

All three have reported an improvement in attendance and are now hoping to extend the scheme.

At the Royal Sussex, the scheme is currently offered to gynaecological day case patients, limited ophthalmic day cases and in-patients. There are also plans to offer booked admissions to urology day case patients.

At Eastbourne, the service is offered to patients from the day surgery unit and gynaecology suite.

At the Conquest Hospital, some day surgery patients are taking advantage of the scheme, which is about to be extended to some in-patients and out-patients.

Joe Chadwick, Eastbourne Hospitals NHS Trust's project manager, said: "Booked admission is potentially one of the most radical changes to affect the NHS in recent years.

"The patient is able to plan their admission date to suit their commitments. The scheme will ultimately reduce waiting lists."