Frustrated patients continue to face lengthy delays as Carlisle’s new super-surgery battles with its telephone system.

Carlisle Healthcare admitted it is still working to alleviate system issues meaning patients are waiting to make appointments or, at peak times, not even being given the option to wait.

The new surgery – a merger of the Brunswick House, St Paul’s and North Carlisle surgeries which serves about 36,000 patients – went live on October 1 and experienced major problems with both the IT and telephone systems on its first day.

While the IT problems – where records failed to transfer on to the new joint system – have been resolved, the practice apologised that it is still experiencing issues with the phones and is working to improve the service.

Irene Scott, of Bisland Court, Harraby, is among those who have been met by the engaged tone.

A patient of St Paul’s for more than 12 years, she tried throughout the day on Monday to cancel a 2pm physio appointment, ringing every 10 or 15 minutes from about 9.15am that morning without success.

Eventually she sent an email but didn’t receive a reply until after the time of her appointment.

She had waited about 40 minutes before giving up and sending an email to make the appointment in the first place.

“I’m very angry,” said Irene Scott.

“Patient care has gone totally out of the window, it really has.

“There must be a lot of people out there who are not getting the patient care that they require because there are just not the facilities there.

“Even though they’ve had this merger, the facilities are not there.”

Fortunately her situation wasn’t an emergency but the 77-year-old fears that it could create a risk to patient safety.

“The number had been permanently engaged all day. What concerns me is people who would ring for a home visit or an emergency. There is no option for this as there used to be on the old number,” she said.

“I am so concerned. Having worked in hospitals I know how important it is when patients don’t turn up for appointments but it’s frustrating for a patient trying to get through to do what is necessary so you don’t go down on the list as being somebody who just does not turn up.

“I think there are probably a lot of people who have done that because they haven’t been able to get through.”

Carlisle Healthcare deals with about 1,500 calls a day answering roughly 120 an hour.

There are now more call handlers and the volume of calls continues to be assessed daily.

If all the phone lines are taken by incoming calls, patients will only hear the monotonous sound of engagement, as they did before the merge.

If patients do manage to get connected to a free line the auto attendant gives the two options – for prescriptions requests, and appointments and all other enquiries.

It also directs callers to Carlisle Healthcare website.

The emergency option was removed after it received about 50 calls a day in the first three weeks with patients using it to circumvent the phone system and not one person using it legitimately, though this is due to be reviewed.

“We have had a number of complaints from patients in regards to the phone system due to the frustrations that patients have faced, and whilst we acknowledge the problems we wish to reassure them that we are still working with our telecommunications supplier to rectify these difficulties,” said Tracey Scott, managing partner at Carlisle Healthcare.

“We are aware of the significant wait time patients have experienced, sometimes in excess of one hour, but the waiting time has now significantly reduced to approximately seven minutes at end of last week, but many calls are now answered much quicker. We are continuing to monitor this figure.”

Since it launched Carlisle Healthcare’s clinical staff have seen or spoken to between 3,300 and 3,700 patients each week, which is more than they would have seen as three separate practices.

Patients are encouraged to avoid getting in touch between 8am and 8.45am when the highest volume of calls are taken.

Where possible it asks that patients register for online services, meaning they can book appointments up to six weeks in advance and order repeat prescriptions.

While she understands the surgery is looking to the future by encouraging patients to register online, Irene Scott said: “Sadly that’s not going to happen because there are thousands of patients who do not have computer access and don’t know how to use a computer anyway.”

She was pleased to have been contacted by the managing partner who apologised and explained the situation.