Parents revealed reasons why children’s appointments were missed

What we set out to achieve

Lincolnshire has some of the highest rates in the country for children and young people missing planned hospital appointments. We wanted to hear directly from families to understand the barriers that make attending these appointments difficult. Your feedback will help us design practical solutions to make hospital visits easier, reduce missed appointments, and improve the experience for everyone.

What we did

Between September and November 2025, we launched a county-wide survey and spoke directly with families in Lincolnshire. We received 196 responses from parents, carers, and young people, hearing real experiences from across the county. We also engaged with clinical and non-clinical staff at Pilgrim Hospital, Boston and Lincoln County Hospital as well as teachers, headteachers, and school administrators across Lincolnshire.

To reach as many people as possible:

• We shared the survey online and in community venues.
• Posters and leaflets were distributed through schools, GP practices, children’s centres, community venues and family hubs.
• We spoke to staff in education and clinical settings
• We visited hospitals and local community spaces to talk to families face-to-face.
• We provided materials in Bulgarian, Lithuanian, and Romanian to ensure everyone could take part

What you told us

Families told us that missed appointments often happen because of:

• Work and school pressures: Parents struggle to take time off work or coordinate school absences.
• Communication issues: Late or missing letters, unclear text reminders, and language barriers lead to confusion.
• Transport and parking challenges: Long journeys, poor public transport, and expensive or unavailable parking make attending difficult.
• Appointment inflexibility: Rigid booking systems and limited options make it hard to rearrange appointments.

Despite these challenges, parents are motivated to support their child’s health. Families said that practical solutions like community clinics, virtual appointments, flexible scheduling, better reminders, and accessible information would make it much easier to attend.

The difference it’s made

So far, your feedback is already making a difference. These insights have been shared with the NHS Lincolnshire ICB Health Inequalities Board, and the Children and Young People’s (CYP) Was Not Brought (WNB) project group. A working group has developed an action plan covering the identified themes

This programme of work is ongoing so be sure to check back for more updates as we move forward!

What’s next

The working group continue to meet regularly to monitor and support the implementation of the improvements.