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Solihull residents Stewart Priddey, 72, and his wife, June, 83, said that they have waited almost an hour and a half on hold at Solihull Healthcare Partnership when trying to get a GP
appointment. They claimed that they have twice called emergency services on 999 when they couldn’t speak to their doctor. Stewart said that June used to have regular doctor appointments four
times a year, but hasn’t seen her doctor since before the Covid-19 pandemic. June suffers from psoriasis and osteoarthritis, and was taken into hospital in 2020 with sepsis. Stewart said:
"Hand on heart, I'm frightened to death." He explained to BirminghamLive: "My wife is 83 years old and she is struggling with her health, but we've been struggling
to get through to the doctors' now for the last year. DON'T MISS: KATE MIDDLETON’S ROYAL PREFERENCE LAID BARE SHP, apologising to patients, said that it is "continuing to see
unprecedented high demand", but that staff were being subjected to "surprising levels of rudeness and aggression on a daily basis." Addressing the Priddeys’ complaint, a
spokesperson said: "We can confirm Mr and Mrs Priddey both raised individual complaints with SHP in May 2021, which have followed our complaints policy and procedures. "We are
unable to provide any details due to patient confidentiality and data protection. "However, we want to reassure patients that we take their complaints very seriously, and would welcome
the opportunity to discuss Mr and Mrs Priddey’s concerns with them." An NHS Birmingham and Solihull CCG spokesperson said: “We have been working closely with SHP to seek assurance that
they are addressing issues around access as quickly as they can, however, we acknowledge nationally and locally that there is a huge increase in demand, which includes patients who may have
previously put off seeking care due to the pandemic. “The way we all access and receive health services has changed, and it’s as important as ever that anyone with health concerns ensures
they are using the correct service for their condition, for example by visiting a local pharmacist or using NHS 111 for an urgent but non-life-threatening concern.”