I AM nearly 18 weeks’ pregnant, and I have just contacted my local GP surgery in West Kirby to arrange for a telephone consultation with a doctor - to save wasting their precious appointment time - and I was told that the earliest I could expect a call would be July 6 - a wait of 17 days!

I advised them I was was suffering with intense pregnancy-related acid reflux causing me a lot of discomfort, and that the pharmacy would only suggest an over-the-counter liquid remedy because with my being pregnant, they could not advise me to take anything stronger without speaking to my GP.

I am aware that for them this is not an urgent issue.

But to wait 17 days for a short phone call and a prescription is absolutely ridiculous, especially given that I am pregnant, and unsure what I can take to relieve my sheer discomfort I was informed the long wait was due to a high rate of annual leave.

Karen Lesage by email.