A WREXHAM doctor has discussed the 'odd' nature of patients not returning calls during shifts. 

Dr Peter Saul, a GP at Beech Avenue practice in Rhos, has recently been working out-of-hour shifts at the hospital. 

During a shift on Saturday evening, Dr Saul was left confused after a number of patients had not picked up the phone during a callback. 

While acknowledging that callbacks can often take a few hours, he felt that patients awaiting a call should be aware of where their phone is. 

He said: "Generally the process is, a patient phones in and gives their details, the details will be passed onto an electronic screen where the call gets picked up and then we ring back. 

"As I was working on Saturday night, about four people didn't pick up and they went straight to voicemail. 

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"It's not just out of hours, it's happening in daytime shifts too. 

"It just becomes a pain, not necessarily because of the call, but because you have to go through the whole process again of planning specific questions for the patients. 

"If you're dealing with a large number of calls, do you put that patient to the back of the queue, or do you ring them straight back?

"Callbacks can take a couple of hours, I understand that, but usually if you're waiting on something like a plumber, you carry your phone around with you, but that doesn't seem to happen with doctors."

Dr Saul also described the current mood in the health care industry as 'terrible'. 

He added: "There is increased pressure on the service due to strikes and it's increasing pressure on a system that is already under strain. 

"I've got no idea what Welsh Government expects to happen. 

"It is just going to get worse. 

"North East Wales will also get affected when junior doctors in England strike next month too, which will increase the pressure even more."