HUNDREDS of people in Wrexham are unable to access primary health care.

Members of Caia Park Community Council said that not being able to get a doctor's appointment was a serious issue for an increasing number of people.

And when people cannot get an appointment they are attending the already under pressure Emergency Department at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

The problem was exacerbated at the end of last month when the the GP partners at Hillcrest Medical Centre, Forge Road Surgery and Borras Park Surgery in Wrexham ended their contract with Betsi Cadwalader Heath Board.

Management of the practice transferred to the heath board, beginning a period of consolidation and review.

But Caia Park councillors say the situation at Hillcrest in Holt Road is now reaching crisis point, with people unable to get an appointment.

Cllr Malcolm King said: "They have dropped off the map in terms of their effectiveness.

"It's in a really poor state.

"It is a massive problem for Wrexham that has to be solved. It's becoming more and more serious for more and more people, and the consequences could be serious if we don't reverse the direction we are going in."

Cllr King said he had been told even when people were getting appointments, about 20 per cent were cancelled.

He added: "For many people it means primary heath services have become unobtainable.

"They queue for hours on the phone to get an appointment for later in the week that gets cancelled. It must be very frustrating.

He said that it was as issue for Flintshire residents as well as those in Wrexham as patients attending A&E were facing long waits.

This month, the Leader reported on a man in his 90s from Buckley waiting for 11 hours to be seen at the Maelor.

Cllr King added: "It's also having a huge knock on effect to A&E. There are three major surgeries in Wrexham not fulfilling the normal service by any distance. Then we have people going to the hospital with up to 11 hour waits at A&E. It's a situation that's going from bad to worse.

"It's a work in progress and I can't see there being an easy answer to it because rustling up GPs isn't something that is going to be easy. It's a real problem.

"There is a quite a crisis building up. It is not sustainable having people waiting 11 hours at A&E on a regular basis. It will make people more ill. If you're not ill when you go in, you will be when you come out.

"It must also be affecting people in Flintshire with the knock on effect. I don't think it's all down to these surgeries, it's a more widespread issue."

Cllr Brian Halley agreed, adding: "It's becoming a serious issue. It's been going on long enough and I think something needs to be done."

Cllr Keith Gregory said that people on Caia Park were now looking further afield for a GP surgery.

He said: "My granddaughter uses that surgery and I tell you it is unbelievable. You've got to phone at half past eight in the morning and you can be 30 or 40 in the queue. When you do get through there are no appointments left whatsoever, and there's no walk-in, you can't do anything.

"It's absolutely terrible. I know people are contacting other surgeries to see if they can leave."

He added: "My granddaughter was ill so I phoned up and they said take her to the hospital. That's what they are saying to everyone, take them to the hospital. That's why when you go to A&E they are queuing outside the door."