Concerns have been raised over the lack of doctor’s appointments available to patients – with calls for an investigation by a health scrutiny committee.

Councillor Ray Gill said he was worried about the level of service provided to the people of Whitehaven by GP practices.

It comes after Fellview Healthcare announced on Thursday its plans to permanently close Frizington Surgery due to a shortage of GPs.

Speaking at a Whitehaven Town Council meeting last week, Cllr Gill, who represents Sneckyeat South, said: “I am concerned every day, more and more, I am seeing people having problems with seeing their GP.

“They are ringing up at 8 o’clock in the morning, sometimes sitting for 20-25 minutes on the telephone and all the appointments have gone.

“This is all over the town and all over the country, really. I’m very concerned about the level of service being provided by all the GP practices in Whitehaven.

“I don’t know what the answer is. I think the least we can do is write to the Cumbria County Council health scrutiny committee asking for them to investigate.”

Councillor Julie Rayson, who represents Hillcrest, said: “The last three or four months I’ve had numerous appointments and haven’t had a problem but I have seen on social media and I totally agree with you, it’s up and down the country, unfortunately. If we can help, we do need to voice it to somebody.”

Councillor Graham Roberts, who represents the Harras ward, said: “I fully agree with what Councillor Gill has said. I think the matter needs to be referred to the health scrutiny committee. It needs to be highlighted to a higher authority.”

Cllr Gill said: “What I can’t understand is, there are the same amount of doctors at the surgeries that we had before Covid.

“I went into the doctor’s surgery when I eventually got an appointment and there was no one in there.

“You go to the Cuedoc or A&E at West Cumberland Hospital – it’s heaving – because people can’t see their doctor. It’s putting the NHS at the hospital under pressure too.”

Councillor Gaile Stevens, who represents Whitehaven South, added: “I think we should also be looking at dentistry as well. I think the dental provision across the town is appalling. I know it’s a big issue.”

Cllr Gill proposed to request Cumbria County Council’s health scrutiny committee to have an investigation into doctor’s and dentist provision in Whitehaven.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the proposal.