Voicemail messages are to be used to remind hospital patients about their next appointment.

The service introduced this month could save East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust up to £2 million a year.

The trust, which runs Eastbourne District General Hospital and the Conquest Hospital in St Leonards, decided to go ahead after a successful trial.

Specialist voice messaging company Biomni Voice will contact all outpatients a week before their next scheduled visit.

The automated call uses a human voice to remind people of the date and time of their appointment and invites them to confirm attendance using their phone keypad.

If a patient no longer needs or cannot make the appointment, the system alerts the trust's appointments team. The slot can then be offered to others on the waiting list.

Each voicemail message costs the trust about 5.5p based on an average length of one and a half minutes per call.

Studies have shown that of those who failed to turn up, two thirds forgot their appointment while a quarter felt better and chose not to attend.

An earlier trial at the trust using similar technology showed a significant improvement in attendance rates.

Over the period of the trial, 54 patients rearranged a more convenient time for their appointment and 47 cancelled.

Had these patients simply not attended, it would have cost the trust about £6,500.

Outpatients and booking manager Katherine Horner said: "Statistics show that on average, one in seven outpatients fails to turn up to appointments across our hospitals. This means that time is being wasted for other patients who could be seen at those times.

"It also means that £65 is lost with every patient who fails to attend, which adds up to a loss of about £2 million each year for the trust."

The system has been developed with patient confidentiality in mind and the recipient of the call is asked to confirm their identity. The system can hold until the patient comes to the phone or call back later.

All calls are made during the evening when more people are at home. The patient does not pay for the service.

Hospital managers are hoping the scheme will reduce waiting lists as well as save money. The trust says the service is more effective and cheaper than sending written reminders.

It also means it gets immediate feedback from patients and can rearrange appointments more quickly.

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