A NEW out-of-hours system for patients who need to see a doctor in the evenings or at weekends has been introduced by Kennet and North Wilthsire Health Trust.

It involves a complicated process of ringing and waiting for a private company to make up its mind whether or not a case is urgent enough for a real doctor to see a patient.

The process has replace the old system whereby people could just turn up at casualty departments in community hospitals such as Devizes and Savernake and see a nurse and if necessary a GP.

Everyone knew where they were with the old way. Mums were reassured that the nurses on duty knew what they were talking about and would know when it was important for their child to see a doctor or if the case could wait until morning.

Now the new faceless system which involves much ringing, waiting and a certain amount of pot luck has worried doctors in Marlborough so much they have decided to opt out of the system.

Matters have been made worse by a lack of information supplied by the health trust.

This week the Gazette has tried repeatedly to get answers about how and why the system was introduced by very little was forthcoming from anyone at its Pans Lane headquarters.

Once again the health trust has shot itself in the foot by thinking if it adopts a head in the sand approach everyone will leave it alone.

Sadly for it, but happily for others , that is not the way it works. Patients deserve answers and we are determined to get them.