The cases of 31,000 Darent Valley Hospital patients have been reviewed, after they were accidentally discharged by the IT system.

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust said its system had automatically removed the patients because they did not have a follow-up appointment within the next six months.

The trust has since reviewed the cases, and says that none of the 31,000 patients came to harm as a result of being dropped by the system.

According to health management news site HSJ, the trust said increased waiting times after the pandemic had caused problems with booking follow-up appointments, and six months later patients had been automatically discharged.

The problem was raised initially by the haematology department, which found 1,211 patients had been removed.

The trust is said to have accepted internally that dropping the patients had not been best practice.

A spokeswoman for Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust said: “We have meticulously examined all aspects of our follow up appointment process, resulting in a comprehensive understanding of all patients awaiting a follow up appointment.

“Our review is now concluded, and we are happy to confirm there has been no harm caused to any of our patients. None of our patients need to take any further action.”