A NEW telephone system that many GP surgeries are set to use has left patients hanging on the phone for hours at a York practice which installed it in a pilot scheme.

Patients at Unity Health’s £2.5 million new Kimberlow Hill medical centre in Heslington say they have waited up to two hours on the phone while trying in vain to make an appointment.

One ended up having to get a taxi to the surgery just to make an appointment in person, while another said she had to go to York Hospital and queue for a blood test because she couldn’t make an appointment to get one done at Kimberlow Hill.

A third told The Press that he and relatives had repeatedly driven there to make appointments and claimed: “It’s potentially life-threatening.”

When The Press first rang the surgery for comment, it was 13 minutes before anyone answered, and when we tried again on Friday we waited 60 minutes - with an automated voice repeatedly saying: “Your call is now in a queue. Please hold for the next available receptionist” - before we eventually gave up.

The practice’s managing partner Louise Johnston said patients had been facing "unacceptable" delays when phoning the centre.

“When you are ill or feeling anxious, this is the last thing you need,” she said.

She said the centre, which has taken patients from former surgeries in Hull Road and the University of York campus, had not cut the total number of reception staff and patient numbers had not increased and the problems appeared to relate entirely to a new telephone system installed at the centre.

She added that the centre was in discussions with the NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and BT to try to resolve the problems as quickly as possible.

The CCG said it was aware of the issues at Kimberlow Hill and was continuing to work closely with it to resolve them.

A spokesman said a number of practices across the Vale of York area had selected a new telephone provider and the CCG had been working closely with all parties to help support a smooth and effective roll-out, designed to cater for each surgery’s needs.

“There will be no further roll-out to other practices until the appropriate assurances have been put in place,” he said.

“The majority of practices have selected or are in the process of selecting a new telephone provider that will be tailored to suit the needs of their patients and their business. It is anticipated that 60 per cent and 70 per cent will be with the same provider, but this is a practice decision.”

He said the telephone roll-out had always been on the basis of having a period of "proven running within a pilot site, prior to the launch of any further sites," with the intention this would be completed by the end of 2018/19.

“The roll-out plan is still in this period of establishing proven running and therefore has not been suspended or halted, but simply part of the review process to ensure an effective onward roll-out.”