General · 21 June 2026
NHS pays £650m for five million 'ghost patients'
The NHS pays out about £650 million each year for almost five million “ghost patients” who don't actually exist on GP lists. This happens because records aren't updated when people die or move, reportedly costing practices around £130 per patient annually, though figures have varied over time. The British Medical Association has previously raised concerns about 'aggressive list-cleansing' initiatives potentially removing genuine patients and impacting practice funding, though specific figures for 2025 are not available.
Reported by The Telegraph · How we write briefs