PEOPLE who live in Bishop's Frome have been reassured their postcode does not put them in no-man's land when they need emergency out-of-hours health care.

Resident Joy Holman thought it did when she sought help for a serious tooth problem last weekend.

When she called Primecare, she was told that although her address was in Herefordshire, her postcode was in Worcestershire and she would have to call the out-of-hours service there.

But six phone calls for help and one and a half hours later, during which time Mrs Holman had been referred to Worcester and Evesham, she finally decided to start at the beginning again.

"I rang the first number I was given at Primecare and there was no problem at all. I was booked into the Gaol Street Clinic in Hereford on Saturday afternoon and received treatment."

Mrs Holman, a retired employment adviser, has complained about the incident to Herefordshire Primary Care Trust, which provides the Primecare out-of-hours service.

"I am concerned this emphasis on postcode could have consequences for anyone in Bishop's Frome who was seriously ill and could not cope with the phoning hassle.

"I was able to deal with it but I would not like this to happen to other people," she said.

Herefordshire PCT is looking into the complaint but has confirmed people who live in Bishop's Frome should get their out-of-hours care in Herefordshire.

"We are very sorry Mrs Holman was given the wrong information. It was regrettable and she should never have been told that her postcode put her into the Worcestershire service," said Ken MacGladrie, primary care manager with the PCT.