The Kelsey Trail Health Region is encouraging patients to cancel their appointments instead of just not showing up.

No shows can range from one to 12 each day in just one clinic.

Director of Primary Health Care with the KTHR, Linda Barlow says this can really add up and have a large effect on other patients.

"The cumulative number in a week is quite significant so there's lots of appointments that are wasted and with our goal to provide the best access possible for clients the clients can help us out by phoning ahead of time and cancelling their appointment so someone else can have access."

Barlow said when appointments are cancelled they can often fill them with those waiting for an appointment which makes things run a lot more efficiently.

"It's evident by the numbers everyday that there is a significant waste and we just want to make sure that we use our resources the best way possible and to make sure that everyone that needs to get in gets in."

Barlow says it can have a trickle effect on the system as well when slots are left empty.

"It's really impossible to re-book people at the last minute and there is lots of preparation that goes into preparing for an appointment so it effects everyone."

Clients are simply asked to phone ahead of time if they know they won't be making their appointments.

Barlow adds that the industry standard is about 10 percent for cancellation rates.

You can hear more from Barlow in her interview with Bolt FM's Clark Stork below.