Whitchurch surgery patients win apology from health bosses

Karen Higgins, lead for engagement and involvement at the CCG, told a packed meeting of concerned members of the public that the closure of Richmond House Surgery in Whitchurch had caused misery and trauma to many of its 4,000 patients.

She said that lessons would be learned and that the situation would never be replicated.

Speaking at a meeting of the Whitchurch and Prees Local Joint Committee held at Ash Village Hall, Mrs Higgins said: "It has been a terrible mess from start to finish. I do not doubt for one second how traumatic this has been for patients.

"It has been absolutely awful and I am sorry on behalf of the organisation that I represent. There is a lot to be learned from this. The CCG has been through very difficult times. There have been changes of management and those in charge now had nothing to do with the situation we now find ourselves in."

She added that the situation would be examined and such mistakes would not happen in the future.

Richmond House Surgery will close on October 31 and a new temporary surgery will operate from November 1 from Beech Ward at Whitchurch Community Hospital for 18 months.

The Shropshire GP co-operative Shropdoc has agreed to run the new surgery.

Some of those at the meeting spoke of their worries about the lack of continuity of care but Mrs Higgins allayed their fears.

"A named doctor will be there," she said. "They will be employed on long-term contracts. Shropdoc have been very honest and said that in the first few weeks they will have to put some temporary GPs in place. But in the long term everybody will have a named GP.

"The continuity of care will continue."

She added that the closure of the surgery had caused many problems for many people and moving Richmond House Surgery in to Beech Ward had provided an alternative solution to a situation which may have transferred to the next generation.

Other concerns raised included the lack of parking at the hospital but Mrs Higgins pointed out that parking at the surgery had also been less than ideal.

It had been hoped that Richmond House Surgery would merge with Bridgewater Medical Practice to form a GP hub. Partners at the surgery made repeated warnings that unless an alternative premises could be found they would be forced to close.

But as no premises were found, the GP partners Dr Martin Sullivan, Dr Louise Rodge and Dr Jane Gray sent a letter of resignation to NHS England confirming that the surgery would close at the end of the month.

Work is now under way to create the new surgery at the community hospital.

There will be GP consulting rooms, a reception area and nurses' treatment rooms.