Missed appointments at one doctors' practice in Keighley are costing £60,000 a year in wasted time.

Multiply that figure throughout the area and then nationally and the figure is astronomic.

But unlike dentists, GPs do not charge for missed appointments, either with themselves or practice nurses. It is reasonable to ask the question "why not?"

A percentage of the 30 to 50 people who fail to keep an appointment to see a GP at the Kilmeny surgery, let alone the 60 who miss seeing the practice nurse, must realise the cost of the inconvenience caused.

Surely a simple phone call to the surgery, with an apology, allowing someone more in need to get treatment, is not too much to ask. But,obviously it is.

However, on balance, before opening up any further debate, the odds are any "fine" scheme would be uneconomic. It would probably cost more to chase up the defaulters than the amount of "fines" collected.

A key to resolving the issue is education and communication, and that is why the Airedale Primary Care Trust is backing a new national campaign to help people understand the choices they have to get medical help.

The Get the Right Treatment campaign urges people to seek the most appropriate treatment from the most appropriately qualified health professional.

Care has to be taken, for as Maggie Helliwell, the PCT's medical director, says the aim is not to persuade people to stay away from the health service but to help patients get the fastest, best possible treatment.

Put it this way, if we all played our part in lancing this boil on the back of the medical teams it would end the cynical situation of people claiming they got better before they could see the doctor.