The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Town facing GP crisis as surgery set to shut doors
ARBROATH: More than 6,000 patients affected by move
Arbroath is braced for a potential GP crisis with the possible closure of a major town medical practice affecting more than 6,000 patients.
Doctors at the Abbey practice have told NHS Tayside of their plan to end their GP contract this summer, placing a question mark over future provision.
A national shortage of GPS, which has already hit other Angus communities including Brechin and Forfar, has been blamed.
In letters about to go out to those registered with the practice, NHS Tayside chiefs have assured patients it will remain “fully operational” until the contract ends on July 31.
They have urged patients to stay registered with the Abbey practice while alternative plans for provision are drawn up.
North East region Conservative MSP Bill Bowman said: “The Royal College of GPS believe Scotland will be 900 GPS short this year.
“That is making it extraordinarily hard to attract the right people and practices like the Abbey are paying the price.”
Arbroath has been plunged into a looming medical crisis with confirmation one of the town’s biggest GP practices is facing closure.
The Abbey practice will end its contract with NHS Tayside at the end of July, throwing the future care of almost 6,500 patients into doubt.
A national shortage of doctors – which has already impacted other Angus towns and the wider Tayside area – has been blamed for the decision.
One politician said the Arbroath bombshell was a reflection of a primary care service “in crisis”.
NHS Tayside said new patients would continue to be registered at other Arbroath practices, amid fears their lists could be closed.
However, health bosses have made a plea to current Abbey patients to stay put in the meantime.
The practice, in the shadow of the abbey, currently has one full-time and three part-time GPS, having said farewell to a long-serving doctor towards the end of last year. An advanced nurse practitioner also operates there.
One long-time patient said: “This has come as complete news to many people.
“As with all doctors’ surgeries, you might sometimes have to wait to get through on the phone but I have always found it to be a well-run practice.”
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said, “We will be writing to patients at the Abbey practice in Arbroath this week to advise that the practice has given notice to terminate its contract with NHS Tayside with effect from July 31 2020.
“As with many practices across Scotland, the Abbey practice has been affected by the national shortage of GPS.
“Patients should be reassured that the practice will continue to be fully operational up until July 31 with the GPS continuing to practice from Abbey Health Centre.
“When a practice gives notice to stop providing services, the health board has a responsibility to ensure that safe primary care services are provided to the local population.
“NHS Tayside’s main priority is to ensure that patients who are currently registered at the Abbey practice have continued access to a local GP.”
The spokesperson said NHS Tayside and Angus Health and Social Care Partnership were working together to ensure that patients can access local GP and primary care services from August 1 2020, adding: “We will continue to engage with patients in Arbroath as plans progress to deliver safe and sustainable primary care services in the local area.”
North East region Conservative MSP Bill Bowman said: “Primary care is in crisis across Scotland and that picture is now being reflected in Tayside.
“The Royal College of GPS believe Scotland will be 900 GPS short this year.
“That is making it extraordinarily hard to attract the right people, and practices like the Abbey are paying the price. There must be consequences and there are urgent questions to answer for Scottish Government ministers.”
Angus South SNP MSP Graeme Dey said: “Situations like these are far from ideal, however I know that NHS Tayside officials have been alive to the problem and working on finding a way forward for a few weeks now.
“The key thing here is ensuring continuing and appropriate access to GP services for patients currently on the Abbey practice’s list and I know that is very much what NHS Tayside are aiming to do.”
It is no surprise that health services in Tayside and elsewhere in Scotland are under strain. Straitened fiscal circumstances have seen many services pared to the bone and others lost altogether.
Despite those financial constraints, the NHS and the wider medical community continue to provide high quality healthcare for patients.
While money is key, at least as vital is having the correct people in place to provide that care.
However, the recruitment and retention of staff within the public healthcare sphere is increasingly difficult.
On Monday, The Courier reported that 14 out of 17 general adult psychiatry roles within NHS Tayside were currently vacant despite attempts to fill them.
That particular service has been beset by delivery issues in the recent past and it is conceivable that is exacerbating problems in bringing in new staff.
But it is far from alone in experiencing troubles in bringing in and retaining talent.
Arbroath’s largest GP practice is facing closure in the summer, with a national shortage of available doctors blamed for the situation.
There is no overnight solution to this problem.
We must create an environment in which a career in public medicine, as opposed to the opportunities available in the private sector, is a choice worth taking.
The public purse has no choice but to invest in talent.