Patients at a Beverley GP surgery will be the first in the county to benefit from a new 24-hour telephone system.

Dr Mixer and Partners in Albert Terrace is planning to introduce Patient Partner, which enables patients to call the surgery at any time to book or cancel appointments.

The automated system, which will be up and running before the end of the month, uses computer software to detect spaces in the doctors' diaries and allows the patient to choose an appointment time by pressing a button on their touch tone phone.

Officials say it will ease call congestion at peak times as patients now have more choice in when they call, freeing up phone lines for queries and emergencies at traditionally busier times of day.

Practice manager Ian Walford said: "We realise that some patients may prefer to book appointments in the traditional way and they may continue to do so if they wish.

"However, by providing this round-the-clock service, we can offer greater flexibility for all our patients, including those who work unsociable hours.

"We also believe that it will free-up valuable time for our receptionists to attend to patient care."

When calling the surgery, patients will identify themselves using their contact number and date of birth using the buttons on their telephone.

They will be able to specify which doctor they want to see if the time is available.

About 600 surgeries across the UK use the Patient Partner system.

Stefan Olsberg, managing director of Voice Connect, which created Patient Partner, said it is hoped the system will also help to tackle the problem of missed appointments.

He said: "Patient Partner was developed to help with this issue, which costs the NHS an estimated £300m each year.

"By making it easier to contact the surgery, we hope that the new system will help to diminish the number of wasted appointments which has to be good news for patients."

John Brennan, assistant director of primary care at NHS East Riding of Yorkshire, the county's primary care trust (PCT), said: "In recent GP surveys, patients have highlighted that telephone access to surgeries in the East Riding could be improved, so we will be watching with interest to see if Patient Partner provides a solution that could be explored with other practices."