SICK people are resorting to waiting outside a GP surgery in the early hours to get an appointment, a new report has revealed.

Patient watchdog Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen said it has had reports that ‘patients queue at 7am to get a doctor’s appointment’ at Shifa Surgery in Blackburn.

Watchdogs also said in their report that the appointment booking process at the surgery needs ‘urgent attention and amendment. ‘

One patient said: “You need to be here for 7am as when you ring you have no chance of getting through.

“Then we wait outside until the surgery opens at 8am” and it’s very cold waiting outside in winter for this GP to open up to get appointments.

“The waiting area could be open before reception opens.”

Another said: “It is difficult to get an appointment to see a doctor on the same day.

“ There is also no way to book for the following day.

“You have to call in the morning.

“This can mean 45 minutes of call time to get through in the morning.”

A patient added that having an alternative to book appointments rather than ringing at 8am would also improve the GP service at the surgery, which currently has 11,000 registered patients.

The comments come after representatives from Healthwatch carried out an ‘Enter and View’ visit recently of the Bangor Street surgery, where they spoke to staff, patients and carers and family members.

Recommendations to the surgery include changing the booking appointment process as soon as possible and offering facilities to pre-book appointments including non-urgent appointments.

Practice manager of the surgery Sumayya Mayat told Healthwatch representatives that most patients make appointments by phone and that ‘other options are available’.

She also said that the average time to wait for a routine appointment is one day and emergency appointments also one day.

She added that the surgery has a good team which supports each other and shows empathy towards patients.

The Lancashire Telegraph have approached the surgery for comment.