Bishop's Castle doctor stays away from medical practice

A doctor who has stayed away from a Shropshire medical practice for four months due to a dispute with staff has not returned to work today.

Dr Adrian Penney had been invited to return to Bishop's Castle Medical Practice by colleagues but did not turn up for work this morning. Talks are still ongoing between Dr Penney, surgery staff and officials at Shropshire County Primary Care Trust to resolve the issue.

The offer was made by practice staff last week and Dr Penney had spent the past few days considering the offer.

The reasons for the dispute have not been made public and staff at the medical practice have refused to comment on whether Dr Penney has been receiving full pay while he has been away from the surgery. Cheryl Brierley, practice manager, said: "He isn't returning on June 1, but the partners are in discussion as to the date. There is no date set that we are currently working towards."

Dr Penney was unavailable for comment, but his father Dr St John Penney said any potential deal to see his son return to the surgery depended on what terms were being offered. PCT officials have received petitions containing more than 1,000 signatures calling for Dr Penney to be reinstated. It today reiterated its stance that the issue needed to be resolved by GPs at the practice, not by its board.

Dr Penney, who has not been formally suspended from the medical practice, will officially open Bishop's Castle Carnival on July 3.