DOCTORS' surgeries in Darlington have issued a joint plea for patients to stop making non-urgent calls early in the morning.

Eleven practices in the town say their switchboards are jammed each day between 8.30am and 10.30am with requests for prescriptions or test results.

The influx of non-urgent calls is overloading systems and GPs fear it could stop people with real emergencies getting through.

Carol Curry, Whinfield practice manager, said Monday mornings were the worst.

"For some reason people often ring first thing after the weekend for test results and things like that. It's just people in general being anxious and we understand that," she said.

"It causes a general overload because we do have a limited number of incoming lines and staff."

Margaret Wood, practice manager at Clifton Court surgery, said: "If people could ring later they will help us and get through more quickly."

Darlington Primary Care Trust is asking patients with non-urgent calls to ring surgeries after 11am. Patients with emergencies, or those who need an appointment for that day should still call early.

Trust practice development manager Marilyn Abbott said: "People are ringing for things such as results or repeat prescriptions. These people get frustrated when they can't get through and so do the people with a genuine need.