A RETIRED GP has joined patients in condemning the new health care arrangements in the Forest.

Dr Miranda Whitehead has hit out at the long delays experienced by people ringing the new out-of-hours service in the New Forest. She said some patients in the district had waited up to six hours for medical help to arrive, with one couple even taking their sick child to hospital because they were tired of waiting for a doctor.

During the first three months of the service, 19 complaints were received.

GPs nationwide have stopped providing out-of-hours cover.

Responsibility for organising night-time and weekend care in the district since July has passed to the New Forest Primary Care Trust. A spokesman said: "We know there is still room for improvement."