LIVES could be lost if problems with a new call system for doctors' appointments are not resolved.

That was the shocking claim made to Eldene patients experiencing issues with the phoneline at their surgery.

Residents at a public meeting spoke of finding no doctor available to conduct a stroke review, incomplete prescriptions for insulin and other essential life-saving medication, and being cut off at the top of the call queue after waiting more than 45 minutes.

There were also accounts of patients being sent around Swindon to other surgeries and finding no service there either.

One patient could not book an appointment at all as every slot was booked for a month. Another suggested that anyone who cannot spare 45 minutes on the phone to book an appointment should not even bother calling.

They were appalled that they had not been consulted on the change to the provision of their primary care services and demanded to know how the decision had been made.

Bazil Solomon, a parish councillor for Nythe Eldene and Liden, said: “This situation is shocking. I sit on the patient participation group at my surgery and I will be following up on behalf of residents.”

Sarah Church, Labour prospective parliamentary candidate for South Swindon, said: “To hear first-hand what people under the IMH super-partnership are going through has appalled me.

“Although the CCG has asserted that no one has come to harm, I would disagree. People were deeply distressed that they could not access essential appointments and medication.

“They spoke of feeling isolated, and worried that someone will end up dead. We have to start putting patients first.”

No representatives of the Swindon CCG attended the meeting. There will be five public meetings - one for each of the surgeries involved in the new partnership with IMH, who have redirected all calls to each surgery to one hub.

Michael Armstrong had trouble booking appointments and fixing a repeat prescription issue with the hub, as he claimed the operators gave him incorrect information about appointment availability, could not access his medical records.

He said: “It’s a pointless and unworkable system and I can’t see it changing.”

Campaigners have a protest planned for November 29 outside the surgery in Collingsmead.