It is vital that people are more aware of the impact this has on valuable surgery time

Dr Simon Fradd, Doctor Patient Partnership

The DPP, set up by the British Medical Association and the Department of Health, surveyed more than 1,000 GP practices in the UK.

It found that on average 18 appointments per GP and eight with a practice nurse are missed every week.

The average eight minute consultation costs �18 - meaning missed appointments are costing the health service around �187m a year.

Simple message

Dr Simon Fradd called on patients to be more responsible

Dr Simon Fradd, chairman of the DPP said: "The message is simple - keep the appointment or cancel it.

"Taking responsibility in this way will help ease the strain on an over-burdened system.

"It is vital that people are more aware of the impact this has on valuable surgery time."

The Government's national plan for the NHS, published last month, pledged that by 2004 all patients should be able to see a GP within 48 hours.

Dr Fradd said that reducing the rate of missed appointments would help achieve the target.

Rosey Foster, deputy chief executive of the Institute of Healthcare Management said: "This figure is unacceptable.

"There doesn't seem, to be one easy answer but clearly reducing missed appointments and ensuring that patients are seen with a reasonable time requires patients and practice staff to work together."