Effectiveness, safety, and acceptability of short-notice “fill-in” interventions to backfill cancelled healthcare appointments: a systematic scoping review with stakeholder-informed framework development

Cancellations and non-attendance create short-notice unused capacity across scheduled healthcare (elective theatres, outpatient clinics, diagnostics/procedures). A range of approaches are used to “backfill” cancelled slots (e.g., stand-by lists, reserve lists, rapid-call systems, short-notice offers, open/advanced access). Evidence is dispersed across settings and study designs, making a scoping review the most appropriate method to map what exists, what works, what constraints matter, and what criteria define a “suitable” short-notice candidate. We aim to use this to inform an elective theatre support system alongside included stake-holder questionnaire results to help identify suitable patients for this.