Receptionists at doctors' surgeries in Cornwall are coming under increased verbal abuse from patients after seeing the number of calls being made to them double since the covid outbreak.

NHS Kernow has revealed that pre-covid practices would receive on average around 1,000 calls a day but that has risen to around 2,000 a day.

It said that it was now "not unusual" for some practices to receive more than 190,000 inbound calls a month, including abandoned calls from patients who are unwilling or unable to wait for a response.

At the same time receptionists were also reporting increased levels of abuse from patients when they call to seek advice or get an appointment.

Andrew Abbott, NHS Kernow director of primary care, spoke about the pressure on GP services at a meeting of Cornwall Council's health and adult social care overview and scrutiny committee.

He told councillors:

"They (receptionists) have experienced quite a bit of verbal abuse from patients but they play a critical role in GP practices."

Data provided to the committee showed that patient satisfaction rates with their GP surgeries and receptionists in particular was higher in Cornwall than the national average which Mr Abbott said was encouraging.

He said that activity levels at GP surgeries were now at the same level as before the pandemic but he said that despite this there were issues due to an increase in demand.

As a result, he said that £1million has been invested in the 111 service to keep up with demand.

However, he told councillors that the current pressures on the health service in Cornwall were not due to a lack of money but problems in recruiting staff.

He said:

"It is not availability of money but availability of workforce. While we welcome the money it is not a quick fix for finding doctors, nurses, or even receptionists."

Mr Abbott explained that there had been a higher level of face-to-face appointments with GPs being carried out in Cornwall compared to other parts of the country.

"Appointment levels are back up to pre-pandemic levels. While activity levels are back to where they were before demand levels are higher. Phone calls to practices are higher, calls to 111 are higher."

Mr Abbott added of GP practices:

"They are all working really, really hard and they are all very tired."

He said that practices had also been impacted by staff being off with covid themselves or having to self-isolate.