Anger over hold up to GP centre meeting
Patients’ group and MP blast decision to delay
Anger over a decision to re-arrange a public meeting concerning Aberfoyle and Buchlyvie Medical Centre rumbled on this week.
As the Observer reported last week, NHS Forth Valley has postponed a meeting due to be held next Thursday to further discuss the proposed withdrawal of £100,000 used to pay the salary of a GP at the practice.
A move to remove the funding was made after the practice’s salaried GP left, cutting the number of doctors there from three to two.
Villagers say the sprawling Aberfoyle and Buchlyvie practice needs three doctors but NHS Forth Valley is looking at how best the money could be spent to the benefit of all practices in West Stirlingshire.
Board officials confirmed this week they will give a report on the latest developments at a Strathard Community Council meeting, due to take place on December 6, starting at 7.30pm, at the Forth Inn, Aberfoyle.
Bosses said cancelling the meeting until next month would give them the chance to see how well changes, agreed with the practice, had bedded in.
These include a decision by the practice to increase the number of surgery sessions which fell from five to three following the loss of the practice’s salaried GP.
However, patients’ group Friends of Aberfoyle and Buchlyvie Medical Practice believe next week’s meeting should have gone ahead.
Chairperson Gerry McGarvey said: “Postponing it is not satisfactory and any semblance of transparency and accountability has been disregarded.
“This is not a private matter but a public one requiring the public health body to be accountable to those whom it purports to serve.
“Communities affected deserve the opportunity to hear first hand the on-going plans for addressing the proposals arising as a result of the withdrawal of funding for the salaried GP. People should not be ignored after deals have been done behind closed doors.”
Stirling MP Stephen Kerr was also angry about the axing of the meeting. He was concerned that by the time the December meeting was held the `cluster’ group of GPs in West Stirlingshire might have taken the decision on how the £100,000 would be spent. That was, however, refuted by the health board.
Mr Kerr said it was imperative that the public should be fully informed about the outcome of meetings between the practice and NHS board managers.
He added: “This was why a follow up meeting was agreed within two months. Nothing has changed to alter that requirement. I would suggest ... it is even more important for this meeting to take place as announced.
“It would provide an excellent opportunity to hear views from those attending as to the services they feel are needed, including GP provision.
“It would also afford the opportunity for the practice to detail why they have allocated the available GP sessions as they have between the two sites.”
Stirling SNP MSP Bruce Crawford said he intended to attend the forthcoming meeting and added: “It has been all too tempting for some individuals to see the situation here in Aberfoyle and attempt to politicise it. Residents who have expressed genuine concerns deserve better than that.
“This is a matter that has to be resolved between the GP surgery – who operate independently – and the health board. Although the NHS do not normally directly fund GPs in this way, I have sought assurances from NHS Forth Valley that there are no plans whatsoever to cut this funding.”