A Gateshead councillor shocked colleagues at a meeting after claiming she had to redial her GP practice over three hundred times before she got through for an appointment.
Saltwell councillor Denise Robson stressed the need for an urgent review and upgrading of local GP's phone systems and drew from her own exhausting experience.
Coun Robson told fellow councillors: "I had a very interesting experience phoning into my GP practice on November 15. This is because when I started phoning up at 8.30am, I would not have wished to know in advance that I would have to dial 327 times in 25 minutes in order to actually get through.
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"How widespread a problem is this? It is a strenuous way to spend 25 minutes, but if you know you'll get through in the end you'll do it. But not if you're driving to work, getting your children ready for school, or whatever. This is a worrying situation."
Neil Bunney, Gateshead Council's primary care portfolio manager, responded: "We know the practice in question and we know that many telephone systems in GP practices across Gateshead are not fit for purpose.
"We are doing a full review into where everyone is and how we can financially support practices to move off contracts. Some however signed contracts many many years ago and tied into a system that is not fit for purpose.
"It is a case of fastest finger first at 8.30 in the morning, every day of the week, it's who can get through the quickest, but it is completely unacceptable".
Lynne Paterson, portfolio lead at Gateshead, also informed coun Robson the practice in question had been contacted and was told it needed to upgrade its system.
GPs are being encouraged to adopt a cloud system which allows a practice to have as many open lines as possible to help patients avoid the engaged tone.
Have you experienced similar frustrations trying to get a GP appointment? Let us know in the comments below
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