The Keighley area is not suffering from the shortage of GPs that is crippling other parts of the country, according to health chiefs.

Airedale Primary Care Trust (PCT) says that at present it does not have a problem either recruiting or retaining family doctors.

But it has put measures in place to ensure that Airedale does not experience the problems and pressures reported by GPs in other areas of Britain.

The British Medical Association (BMA) says that many practices are short staffed because they cannot find doctors willing to work in the NHS.

Some GPs across Britain are refusing to take on new patients because of a shortage of doctors and mounting workloads.

Dr Maggie Helliwell, (pictured) chairman of Airedale PCTs professional executive committee, said: "At present Airedale PCT has no major problems in these areas of general practice.

"The PCT is still attracting new general practitioners into the area, both as partners and salaried employees.

"However, this is a national problem, and we recognise it is a potential problem for us.

"We have therefore done work in the area of recruitment and retention with district wide and local initiatives. The PCT has no plans to bring in measures to make practices accept more patients."

The BMA says the most common reason for a vacancy is when one doctor retires and a practice cannot recruit. They are left with a higher list of patients and are not capable of taking on any new patients.

Both the BMA and Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) have warned the Government that the number of GPs nationwide has reached crisis level.

The BMA and RCGP estimate that 10,000 extra GPs are required but the Government plans to introduce only 2,000 more into the NHS by 2004.

Dr Helliwell, who is a GP in Keighley, says the PCT is also backing a national campaign urging people to keep their appointments.

A recent survey revealed a staggering 15.5 million missed GP appointments in the UK each year and a further 4.65 million missed appointments with practice nurses.

The report was published by the Doctor Patient Partnership and Institute of Healthcare Management to mark the launch of their Keep It Or Cancel It 2002 campaign.

An overwhelming 67 per cent of GP practices surveyed nationally felt that 16 to 34-year-olds were particularly likely to repeatedly miss appointments.

This compared with 7.8 per cent who said 45 to 54-year-olds were to blame and 7.5 per cent who believe those aged 55 and above are most likely to fail to turn up for appointments.