MORE than 30 hours of appointment time was lost in Romsey after patients failed to turn up during just one month, the Advertiser can reveal.

Doctors at Alma Road Surgery have said their already pressurised job is being made even harder by the ongoing issue.

In just July alone, 30 hours and 30 minutes of booked appointment time was lost, due to residents not fulfilling their bookings.

"It is a common complaint that patients have to wait unduly long times to see their general practitioner," said Dr Ian Keith.

"Cause of these waits are numerous, including a lack of GPs and an increased demand in the health service.

"However, what Romsey residents may be interested to know is that during the month of July alone, some 30 hours, 30 minutes of appointment time was wasted at Alma Road Surgery by patients not keeping their booked appointments.

"With respect to the doctors alone, just over 15 hours of their time was wasted when people did not keep their booked appointments.

"This equates to 91 individual appointments in the month which could have been taken by other patients if people advised is that they were not going to take up a previously booked time.

He added: "I think the message is if you want to see your doctor in a timely way, it pays to keep your appointment!"

After hearing the news, Romsey Cupernham councillor Dorothy Baverstock, blasted those who did not attend their appointments.

"You have to wait forever to get an appointments at your local surgery anyway, and to now hear that people are just not turning up is just absolutely taking the mickey," she said.

"These people are absolutely abusing the system and should think about those in the town that desperately need appointmetns before not bothering to turn up."

However, the councillor did say that both sides could play a part in making sure more patients turned up.

"At my dentist they always ring me up a day or so before to remind me about the appointment," Cllr Baverstock added.

"I understand that this is different, as usually these appointments are every three to four months, but something like this could work.

"Maybe a simple email or text reminded the day before would go a long way in helping this issue.

"And if people do not respond to the text (when prompted to) their appointment should be subject to be cancelled."