NHS definition of 'customer'

Figures obtained by The Scotsman under Freedom of Information legislation show at least 1,390 hospital appointments are missed every day in Scotland. However, the figure is likely to be much higher, as many health boards were unable to supply numbers for missed inpatient appointments, while others do not collect data on clinics with staff such as physiotherapists and dieticians.
[snip]
She added: "Part of the problem is appointments are made so far in advance that pat-ients simply forget. We need some kind of system to remind people of their appointments nearer the time." [you know, like the private sector has had for a decade. The NHS response? ...

practices (68 per cent) said they would support charging people £10 for missed appointments. ... of course. It's government run.]

http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/1390-Scots-don39t-turn-up.3619753.jp