GPs call for talks on Whitchurch surgery closure
More could have been done by health chiefs to support a Whitchurch doctors' surgery before it was announced it would close, GPs have claimed.
Doctors at Bridgewater Family Medical Practice and Dodington Surgery in Whitchurch have levelled the accusation at NHS England and Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group after
1.
Partners at Richmond House had asked for help to find new premises on several occasions over the past four years.
The GPs at Bridgewater and Dodington are now seeking urgent talks with NHS England and Shropshire CCG amid fears they would not be able to cope with an influx of additional patients.
The three surgeries currently provide a service for about 13,000 patients in the Whitchurch area.
Officials at Shropshire CCG and Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust have both said they are committed to supporting the GP practices.
It had been hoped that the Richmond House and Bridgewater surgeries would merge to form a GP hub at Whitchurch Community Hospital, and the Government provided £2 million to aid the project.
But the scheme did not progress quickly enough for the move to take place by the time the lease on Richmond House's base in Station Road runs out later this year. Partners at the surgery announced on Friday (APR 15) they had sent a letter of resignation to NHS England.
The GP hub project is now on hold, but the idea of moving some doctors' services to the community hospital in the future has not been ruled out.
A joint statement from Bridgewater Family Medical Practice and Dodington Surgery says: "GPs are very saddened to learn that the GPs of Richmond House Surgery have given notice to NHS England and Shropshire CCG that they will be unable to continue to provide general practice services from the end of October 2016.
"We are aware of the extensive efforts that Richmond House GPs have made and are disappointed that NHS England and Shropshire CCG have not been able to provide more support.
"Bridgewater Family Medical Practice and Dodington Surgery GPs will be seeking urgent meetings with NHS England and Shropshire CCG."
Dr Tim Lyttle, one of the partners at Bridgewater Medical Practice, said: "The timescale that the NHS was working to was too slow for Richmond Surgery's needs as they had to vacate their building by November. We are saddened by what has happened. Our building does not have much space for an increase in patients so we need to keep exploring our options." including the base at Whitchurch Community Hospital."
