Staff struggles Surgery warns patients they face longer wait
PATIENTS have been warned about longer waits as an emergency contingency plan has been brought in at a doctors’ surgery. Bosses at Leckhampton Surgery in Cheltenham say they are struggling with a shortage of staff.
They have contacted patients via text messages and also posted news about the situation on the surgery’s website and Facebook page. The practice, in Moorend Park Road, said a third of its doctors were unavailable.
It warned that patients would have to wait longer for routine matters, that it might be months before the situation started to improve and that it ideally wanted people to contact the surgery via its website rather than by telephone.
Its statement, in full, said: “We are struggling with our staffing levels across all teams within the surgery due to unfilled vacancies and staff sickness, including one third of our doctors. Demand for our care is increasing weekly and our capacity is limited.
“With that in mind, with immediate effect, we are implementing our Emergency Contingency Plan in order to continue to provide safe care to our patients. This involves prioritising urgent care and as a result, there will be a longer wait for routine matters.
“We can assure you that we are doing our utmost to resolve matters, but it may be months before this starts to improve. Please continue to support our staff, working tirelessly to maintain the surgery standards, and provide as much detail as possible when contacting the surgery (ideally via econsult rather than phone call) in order for your query to be triaged appropriately by our duty doctors.
“Please keep an eye on our Facebook page and website for updates. Thank you.”
The practice dates back to 1901 when it was founded by Dr Lloyd Davies in Leckhampton Road. It moved to its present site in 1985.