A WOMAN has dubbed the GP out of hours service a “sham” after a bizarre encounter with a duty doctor.

Gemma McCorkindale, of New Mill, was directed to the service when she suffered agonising lower back pain at around 7pm on Saturday, July 17.

In a call to NHS Direct she had described a tingling sensation in her legs and the operator advised she see a doctor as soon as possible.

Although based at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, the service is commissioned by NHS Kirklees and her concerns were first sparked by comments passed by women who were leaving.

One said: “Good luck, you are going to need it with her.”

Gemma said: “When I entered the room the doctor did not acknowledge me. She never made eye contact with me and sat tapping at the keyboard with one finger and staring blankly at the screen. This lasted several minutes with not one word uttered.

“She then turned quite abruptly and asked ‘what the problem was’.

“I started to explain but she turned away as I was speaking and began to pace the floor.

“I tried to break the atmosphere by asking her her name and she asked me why I wanted to know.

“I then asked where she was from. She got quite defensive and said she was from Germany, then pointed to her name badge.”

After a brief examination the doctor advised her she had arthritis. The patient questioned the diagnosis and said she was ignored.

So convinced is Miss McCorkindale that she does not have arthritis she has not had the prescription dispensed.

She added: “The doctor’s whole demeanour was unsettling. She was shabbily dressed and generally unkempt.

“Her bedside manner was nil and the lack of eye contact and questioning skills left a lot to be desired.

“It was not fit for purpose, a sham. GPs must take responsibility for the lack of proper cover at weekends and evenings.

“They should be working together to rectify this situation, not burying their heads in the sand and hoping it goes away.”

NHS Kirklees said that Local Care Direct, which delivers the service, does not use doctors flown in from abroad, and that the doctor in question was local and had been a principal in a local practice for 20 years.

A spokeswoman from NHS Kirklees said: “We commission NHS Direct and Local Care Direct to provide out of hours services to Kirklees residents.

“NHS Kirklees will, with providers, investigate any complaints thoroughly and make any necessary changes to improve patient experience of the services.”

A spokeswoman from Local Care Direct said: “Local Care Direct is a social enterprise which was formed by local GPs across West Yorkshire to provide a range of health services including the out of hours service in Kirklees.

“Putting patients first and delivering a quality service are our priorities and this is reflected in the fact that we receive very few complaints.

“When we do they are taken seriously, properly investigated using procedures approved by the Primary Care Trust and in a way which respects the confidentiality of patients and their personal details.

“We are sorry that this patient has felt the need to complain about the care they received on this occasion and, as with all complaints, we have begun a formal investigation to establish exactly what has happened.

“However, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further on the details of this case whilst this is underway.”

NHS Kirklees added GPs work to a professional code of conduct and aspects of the complaint relating to this will form part of the investigation.