PATIENTS are resorting to visiting A&E because they cannot get appointments with over-subscribed GP surgeries in Southend, it is claimed.

New NHS Digital figures have revealed the number of patients per full-time GP across the country.

And patients groups say that the result is some patients resorting to going to A&E when they cannot get an appointment with their GP.

READ MORE >> 'Park in busy areas': Police issue plea after distraction burglary in Sainsbury's car park

Figures show that the North Shoebury Surgery is the most over-subscribed in Southend, with 3,658 patients per full-time GP. 

Last year the surgery was reported to have been dealing with 300 prescription requests a day, and had been forced to restrict appointments to ten minutes at a time because of the pressures it was facing.

The second busiest surgery is the Shaftesbury Avenue Surgery with 3,444 patients per full-time doctor, followed by The Practice in Northumberland Avenue with 3,336.

Overall 190,413 patients were registered at GP practices in the Southend Clinical Commissioning Group area at the end of January, served by the equivalent of 101 full-time GPs.

Peter Lovett, vice-chairman of Shoeburyness Residents’ Association, said there was growing concern among residents.

He said: “We had four surgeries two years ago and now we are down to two. It’s all very well saying build more homes but what about the infrastructure?

“We have seen people commenting on our Facebook page saying they had to go to A&E and one person said they had dialled their surgery 400 times trying to get an appointment. You can’t even get a blood test appointment now.

“I know a 90-year-old who was told to go to Rayleigh. It has got very bad.”

The British Medical Association, the trade union and professional body for doctors and medical students in the UK, said the disparities in GP-to-patient ratios throughout England are “wholly unacceptable”. It called on the Government to address the issue.

Southend Clinical Commissioning Group was approached for comment.