Almost 5,000 people in Enfield are not registered with a GP, according to a leading healthcare group.

With the borough facing a serious health crisis – both North Middlesex Hospital’s A&E department and Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group have been rated “inadequate” – Healthwatch Enfield have said more people should have easier access to GPs, and be made more aware of the health options available to them.

At a public meeting on Monday (July 25) about North Middlesex, Deborah Fowler, chairman of Healthwatch Enfield, said their survey revealed 17 per cent of people in Enfield are not registered at their local surgery – around 5,000 people - and many would instead go to A&E if they had a minor ailment, or were unsure about something.

It was also revealed 70 per cent of homeless people in Enfield, who are more likely to have illness or injury, are not registered.

She said with North Middlesex seeing over 500 patients per day – in May alone, 14,979 patients visited the emergency department - and being Enfield’s only A&E after the closure of Chase Farm, this trend cannot be allowed to continue.

She said: “We want it to be really clear that it is not necessary to have ID when registering with a GP. People are being turned away unnecessarily.

“While the NHS are working hard to sort out North Mid’s problems, we can all play a part in helping as many people as possible.

“We are all here because we want to support North Mid, for it to be a successful hospital, and one practical thing is to make sure we are all registered.”

Her stance was backed up at the meeting by Cllr Abdul Abdullahi, representative of Edmonton Green and health spokesman for Enfield Council, who also warned about a shortage of GPs in the near future.

Cllr Abdullahi said 20 per cent of Enfield GPs are over 60 and will retire soon, further stretching the borough’s already pressurised resources, and likely giving more work to North Mid.

He said: “The hospital’s best asset is the staff, and it has been very difficult for them every day, going into work knowing they are going to miss targets.”