HEALTH bosses have launched an investigation after a Southampton father tried for more than 45 minutes to contact an emergency out-of-hours GP on a Sunday.

Allan Blakey, whose son Simon, 20, was vomiting violently, was eventually forced to dial 999 when he was unable to get through to the city's Prime Care service.

Paramedics who were called to the address tried for a further 15 minutes to get through on the emergency number before it was eventually answered and Simon was given an appointment for later that day.

By the time he was seen by a GP and given a prescription, the family was told all the pharmacies in the city were closed and they would have to drive to Ringwood to get the medication.

Mr Blakey, from Kesteven Way, Bitterne, said: "Don't fall ill on a Sunday. We were on the phone for more than three-quarters of an hour, unable to get through.

"By this time my son was vomiting blood so we dialled 999. The ambulance and paramedic arrived within six minutes and they were disgusted. They said it should take five minutes at the most to get through. Then we tried to get the medication at Southampton General Hospital and were told that unless it was marked urgent by the doctor we would have to wait until Monday. They told us the nearest pharmacy open was at Ringwood."

The 62-year-old warehouse worker added: "What a disgusting state of affairs for a large city like Southampton in 2003. The doctors pay for primary health care and they are not getting value for money and the public is short-changed on service yet again."

Roger Bingham, a spokesman for Southampton City Primary Care Trust, which is responsible for the Prime Care service, said a number of pharmacies had been open during the day, but that they all closed at 4pm.

He added that the issue of the time taken to answer the call had been taken up with Prime Care, adding: "It shouldn't happen and our apologies to Mr Blakey that it did.

"Because all the calls, including unanswered ones, are now logged at the Prime Care system, there can be an investigation.

"There are standards in place and these were clearly breached."