While the region's hospitals have come under strain, GP surgeries are also feeling the pressure, a doctor has said.

Tim Morton, a GP partner at Beccles Medical Centre, said: "We're equally finding we're overwhelmed and it's been going on for several weeks. 

"There are huge volumes of respiratory illnesses - a combination of Covid, influenza, Strep A, and another respiratory virus - RSV - all combining, so it's hitting all age groups.

"It's also affecting staff sickness levels, so a perfect storm really."

"We are trying to prioritise those most in need but the pressure is just unrelenting."

Dr Morton said there was little sign of the situation improving.  

"It's been a really busy two or three weeks and we can't see any let-up," he said.

"It's [about] trying to deal with patients' expectations, with the background of trying to run practices with huge numbers of staff sickness as well, both clinical and non-clinical.

And the GP said that the problems in surgeries were less visible than in hospitals.

"It's very challenging, and it's exactly the same issue which is facing accident and emergency [departments] as well.

"It's no different... it's just that we don't have shiny yellow and green ambulances stacked up in front of our surgeries."