Hundreds have say on GP services

Drop-in events organised for Kintyre villages

More than 500 people in Kintyre have so far had their say on the future of GP services in their area. A series of drop-in events are also being planned to keep the public up-to-date with any developments. In July this year, Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) sent out a questionnaire to everyone registered with doctors in Muasdale, Southend and Gigha to find out their views on how GP services should shape up. The questionnaire was to make sure people were told about changes to services and got the chance to say what their priorities were when wanting to see GPs. About 550 survey responses were received and the results are now being put into a report being published this autumn. The findings from it will be used to inform the ongoing delivery of GP services throughout Kintyre. Donald Watt, locality manager (adult services) for Mid Argyll, Kintyre and Islay, said: ‘I am delighted with the response rate to the survey and we will now be reviewing all the comments received to help us move forward with the delivery of sustainable GP services for the practices concerned. We have also arranged drop-in events for the communities affected for each practice area and members of the public are more than welcome to come along.’ The drop-in sessions will be at Tayinloan Village Hall on Wednesday October 31 from 2-4pm, Gigha Village Hall on Wednesday November 7 from 1-3pm and Dunaverty Hall on Wednesday November 28 from 7.30-9.30pm. The HSCP is also to pilot a new idea of community TV screens to put public health messages across. Screens will soon be appearing at Campbeltown Hospital and in a shop in the town’s Main Street. The HSCP is working in partnership with Jason McCallum from Keeping it Local to develop the idea. Alison McGrory, health improvement principal, who chairs the working group, said: ‘Informing people about what is happening in health and social care is important and the working group has a range of different ways of doing this including a Facebook page called Kintyre HSCP and a regular newsletter. ‘Having TV screens with local up-to-date information is a new idea that will be up and running soon in Campbeltown and we are looking forward to working with community representatives to make sure the information on the screens is useful and interesting.’

‘I am delighted with the response rate to the survey’