Last updated 26/06/00 If you make an appointment to see a doctor or nurse and then discover that you will be unable to keep the appointment, PLEASE CONTACT THE SURGERY TO CANCEL On a regular basis over 100 patients per month fail to attend an appointment that they have made to see a doctor or nurse. On average a doctor will see between 17 & 20 patients in a morning surgery. If 100 patients fail to attend or cancel this would result in wasting a whole week of morning surgery for one doctor alone!!!