Queues up to an hour long formed outside Southend university Hospital A&E yesterday.
The Mid and South Essex NHS Trust hospital was inundated with patients as GPs in the area had closed for the day.
GP surgeries in south Essex close on the second Tuesday of every month for protected learning time for practice staff to address their own learning and professional development needs.
Yesterday (Tuesday, September 7), large queues formed outside the hospital with patients waiting for up to an hour in the sun as temperatures soared to about 23°C.
A spokesperson for Mid and South Essex NHS Trust hospital said: “Unfortunately, this can increase demand on the Emergency Department with some patients coming in with non-urgent issues.
“We advise patients to choose the right service for their needs and call 111 to get urgent health advice and support quickly and closer to home.”
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