YOUNG doctors not wanting to work in coastal areas was underlined as a “fundamental problem” during health bosses’ board meeting.

A board of 16 NHS bosses attended the latest north east Essex Clinical Commissioning Group board meeting on Tuesday, in Dovercourt.

Residents from around Tendring also came to the meeting, in Long Meadows Community Centre, to quiz the board on local health issues.

The main questions raised by the public focused on the frustration of waiting times to book a doctors’ appointment over the phone.

Janine McKenzie, who is a patient at Caradoc Surgery in Frinton, said: “I respect there is a shortage of GPs nationally but I was hanging on the phone for about an hour.

“I am worried about sick people being passed from pillar to post and people are so angry.

“People are at their wits’ end and it’s not good at all. What will you as a board be doing about it?”

Dr Freda Bhatti, board member and Great Bentley Surgery GP, said the speed of progress to tackle this issue is too slow.

She said: “We can’t replace GPs and young doctors just don’t want to come to coastal areas to work. And that is a fundamental problem with the service in the area.”

Residents in Harwich have also complained about booking appointments at the Mayflower Medical Centre, in Dovercourt.

Speaking after the meeting, Natalie Alica-Louise Johnson said she struggled to book an appointment for her two-year-old daughter.

She said: “I couldn’t get an appointment and was told by the surgery I had to wait for a call back from my doctor. That took a whole week and then the appointment was not until the following week.

“It’s absolutely disgusting.”

Kimberley Taylor-Parrock, also a Mayflower Medical Centre patient, said: “The last time I tried to get an appointment to see a doctor I was told there were no appointments available and had to wait for a call back to book an appointment. This was about a month’s wait.

“There needs to be more doctors surgeries in Harwich.

A Mayflower Medical Centre spokesman said: “We are naturally concerned to hear that some of our patients are having difficulty in booking appointments.

“Mayflower Medical Centre prides itself in providing excellent services to its registered patients.

“We are always reviewing our practice procedures to ensure access is easier for patients, and we shall soon be making 25 per cent of all clinical appointments available for online booking.

“MMC has an active patient participation group who are always interested in inviting new participants, hearing the views of patients and working with the local community.”