Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Releasing Time for Patients plans in reducing missed GP appointments.

Practices engaging in the Time for Care development programme (sometimes known as the Releasing Time for Patients programme) choose the areas for improvement that will best meet their specific needs. The majority of practices who have engaged so far in this three year programme are currently selecting their own priorities, with expert support from NHS England. When practices have undertaken their programme of changes, it will be possible to measure the impact. This will include any practices that choose to focus on reducing non-attendance.