The outpatient model in the NHS is not just creaking—it is collapsing
Outpatient care has been overlooked in policy and planning. The upcoming 10 year plan for health is an opportunity to rethink and reform the system, writes Theresa Barnes . Every day, I see patients let down by a system that has not kept up with modern healthcare. Outpatient care—where patients receive planned specialist input without a hospital stay—is meant to provide timely, coordinated support. But in practice, it often does the opposite. In 2023/24, there were over 135 million outpatient appointments in England. Behind that figure is a story of mounting pressure, wasted time, and missed opportunities. Patients report letters arriving after appointments have passed, clinics cancelled at short notice and rescheduled months later, and general practitioners unsure whether referrals have been received. These events are not rare occurrences but systemic failures with serious consequences: late diagnoses, missed treatment windows, preventable deterioration, and increased emergency admiss
