THURROCK councillors have called on the NHS to explain an "appalling" lack of GPs in the borough.

Following news the borough has the most patients per GP in the country, councillors on Thurrock's people overview and scrutiny committee have called for the chief executive of the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) to attend the committee's next meeting to explain the shortage.

Chairman Cllr Neil Speight, said: "The statistics are shocking and will be of immense concern and interest to this committee.

"I've requested that the chief executive or appropriate director from the mid and south Essex care board is invited to our next committee meeting on 19 November. They will, I am sure, be ready to answer questions on how the GP shortage in Thurrock has happened and what plans the ICB has to address this matter urgently."

A BBC report revealed Thurrock GPs care for 3,431 patients compared to Wirral and Stockport, which both have fewer than 1,850.

At the meeting on Tuesday, Cllr Mark Hooper, portfolio holder for health and wellbeing, said he had already been in contact with the ICB.

He said: "They did get back to me and they are disappointed we are short of so many GPs in Thurrock. We've had five GPs through the fellowship workshops that we had as part of the integrated health and wellbeing centres.

"The hope is that as they train here they will want to stay here. I have asked for a meeting in November. I've also written to the Secretary of State to voice my concern about the lack of GPs in Thurrock."

Speaking following the report, Cllr Hooper said: "As astonishing as these revelations might seem I am sure they have not come as a surprise to people in Thurrock, who for a long time have faced severe difficulties in getting local appointments. This is not the fault of hardworking local GPs, who do their best to look after patients with up to twice the workload of their colleagues elsewhere.

"In Thurrock, we have nearly twice as many patients per GP as The Wirral. This is an appalling situation that puts our residents at a real disadvantage and creates very real health risks for them. It is entirely unacceptable."