Doc Martin village plea to tourists to help NHS

Dr Martin Ellingham was played by Martin Clunes in the Doc Martin TV series that was set in the fictional village of Portwenn, which was Port Isaac

A GP practice in Cornwall has issued leaflets explaining how tourists can keep pressure off NHS frontline services during the summer holidays.

A GP from Port Isaac, the village made famous by its use as a location for the TV series Doc Martin, said in previous summers the practice was asked for hundreds of appointments by patients registered with different surgeries.

The NHS said the emergency department at Cornwall's only major hospital, based in Truro, saw demand go up by 10% during August each year and the proportion of non residents that attended more than doubled.

Port Isaac Practice has urged visitors to go to pharmacies, use minor injury units and call NHS 111.

Nick Hearle, a GP at Port Isaac Surgery, said in previous years "nearly 1,000 appointments every year [were] taken up with temporary residents".

He said he was not "anti-tourist" and added: "Being ill on holiday can be really bad but we always recommend to phone your own GP first because they know your history and have all your records."

The leaflets provide visitors with information to help them find the right health service if needed

The leaflet was produced by John Quilter from the Port Isaac Practice Patient Participation Group.

He said hundreds of thousands of visitors came to Cornwall in the peak season each week but "we only have limited healthcare facilities".

"I wanted to make sure that if visitors do get sick they do have access to healthcare without overloading the facilities that we've already got."

Other parts of Cornwall's NHS have also experienced pressure, including Launceston Minor Injuries Unit, which will remain shut for the rest of summer due to staffing shortages.

The picturesque village of Port Isaac is popular with holidaymakers

Susan Bracefield, who is the chief nursing officer at the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board, said: "It's fantastic what they're doing in Port Isaac and we'd like more GP practices to spread the message that you don't want to be waiting for hours in our emergency department in Truro.

"We have a lot of visitors coming into our county and welcome they are too, so we plan for the summer to make sure everyone gets the healthcare they need when they come to the county."

In 2023, NHS managers in Cornwall produced a video showing health professionals at some of Cornwall's best known tourist spots explaining the best way to access healthcare for people visiting.

Dr Martin Ellingham was played by Martin Clunes in the Doc Martin TV series that was set in the fictional village of Portwenn, which was Port Isaac.