THE number of staff able to handle phone calls from Wyre Forest patients when doctors' surgeries are closed is set to double following problems during the festive period.

A survey by members of Wyre Forest Patient Public Involvement Forum and sixth formers from King Charles I High School found users of the GP out-of-hours service at Kidderminster Hospital Primary Care Centre on December 28 and January 3 experienced long waits and difficulties getting through to telephone operators.

As a result, Wyre Forest Primary Care Trust has pledged to double the capacity for handling telephone calls and increase the numbers of doctors and nurses working over the next bank holiday period at Easter.

By that time, the call handling system should be able to deal with up to 30 calls simultaneously.

The PPIF report added it was clear there would be "great benefits" from integrated working of the PCC and Minor Injuries Unit on the same site, especially if a doctor was site-based at all times.

The PCT's spokesman, Paul Lynn, responded to this by saying GPs at the PCC - during out-of-hours surgeries - would see patients in the Minor Injuries Unit if asked by nurses.

"Obviously, patients are going though the same doors so, if they need to see a GP, then they can - but this is only out-of-hours during this stage," he added.

The report concluded PPIF members felt the system would cope reasonably well during normal weekends and weekdays between 6.30pm and 8am, "as long as the telephone call answering system improves, NHS direct improves its service and drop-in patients can be triaged by a nurse as soon as they register".

It added that during exceptional times such as bank holidays and flu epidemics, the system "will probably struggle to cope" and said there should be a system in place to call on additional clinicians and make facilities available for them to consult with patients.

The public should also be educated on how to access the PCT.

The report added the satisfaction rate in terms of how patients were treated was "very high" and congratulated staff on the quality of service.