SOUTHAMPTON`S accident and emergency department is being swamped by patients waiting long hours seeking treatment.

With GPs retiring, surgeries either closing or amalgamating and others on reduced hours, the difficulty people experience in getting a doctors appointment, is it any wonder that people are heading to A&E?

Shirley once had a walk-in centre, dealing with minor injuries that now clog up A&E, but that closed, with the other option of the small treatment centre at the Royal South Hants hospital.

For a city the size of Southampton and surrounding areas, it has shown not to be adequate.

There is without doubt wasted resources within the system, with "no shows" costing the NHS money, and to a point, people seeking treatment who could sensibly treat themselves with pharmacy remedies and advice.

NHS staff work tirelessly to provide the best service they can with the resources they have, but a better, more robust strategy is needed, if they are not to be continually bombarded with unrealistic expectations!

Richard A Jacob

Southampton