A PODIATRY patient at Malvern Health Centre, in Victoria Park Road, believes a new appointments system is impersonal and will make it more difficult for people to get treatment.

From Monday, June 4, patients will no longer be able to phone up the centre to make appointments.

Instead they will have to fill in an appointment card, which they must then post or drop off at the centre, with a stamped addressed envelope.

Betty Irons, of Priory Road, has been a patient at the centre for more than 15 years.

"This will make thing a lot more difficult for myself and other elderly people," she said. "What happens if you are sent the card and receive an appointment which clashes with something important? On the phone you can deal with that there and then, but by post it could just go on."

She added the system was bad news for less mobile patients who may not be able to get out to buy stamps.

A Worcestershire Primary Care Trust spokesman said it was trialling the system.

"Rather than an appointment being booked for a person six or 12 weeks in advance, the patient is now able to decide when they are ready for more treatment on their feet," he said. "The patient will return a previously supplied postcard and an appointment will be organised for the following week."