A local councillor says he will fight on despite NHS Tayside voting to close Invergowrie Medical Centre.
Alasdair Bailey, ward member for Carse of Gowrie, had presented a 566-name petition demanding the facility remains open.
But the health board this morning (Thursday) confirmed the GP surgery will shut on June 16 as planned.
It means the majority of the practice’s 1,776 patients will be expected to travel to Ancrum, 3.5 miles away, to see a GP.
The decision left fellow Carse councillor Angus Forbes “devastated”.
And Mr Bailey says he will now take the matter to the Scottish Government.
‘Zero consultation with the affected community’
NHS Tayside announced in February that the door would permanently close on the Invergowrie practice amid challenges in running the service.
This was due to retirements at both the Ancrum and Invergowrie surgeries, and an inability to recruit new medics.
It means just one GP, Dr Ronnie Ip, currently manages both practices.
And this is not considered a safe or sustainable arrangement.
Mr Bailey says he is “astonished that such a closure can be approved with zero consultation with the affected community.”
He added: “Residents learnt of the closure on February 11 by letter and the next communication will be next week when they receive details of their new doctor.
“We can’t carry on allowing our GP surgeries to pass into the night with no opportunity to challenge or scrutinise the health board or Integration Joint Board’s decision-making process at the early stages.”
Letter to health secretary
He has written to health secretary Michael Matheson MSP.
“If Mr Matheson would like to visit Invergowrie to meet with the residents and hear their concerns first-hand, I’ll clear my diary to show him around,” Mr Bailey said.
The Courier reported that senior medic Dr David Shaw told Tuesday’s Perth and Kinross Integration Joint Board (IJB) meeting that it would be impossible for the centre to continue in its current form.
“Finance had very little to do with our options,” said the associate medical director of Tayside Primary Care.
“We worked with the doctor to see if he could bolster his team.
“He managed to recruit an additional salaried GP but he remains the only partner and his team is still not large enough to safely deliver comprehensive services over two sites.”
‘Hard and difficult’ but necessary
When Dr Shaw echoed these views at today’s health board meeting he was met with little disagreement.
Dr Pamela Johnston, operational medical director at NHS Tayside, said: “It is hard and difficult and not a decision I want.
“But we have to recognise that provision of GP services is very challenging nationally.
“What we are seeing are the local consequences of a national issue that has happened over many years.”
The Invergowrie building will remain in NHS hands and some basic medical services will continue there.
This provides grounds for optimism, said Mr Forbes (Conservative).
“I am devastated that the NHS have decided to close Invergowrie Medical Centre,” he said.
“Whilst this decision was expected it’s still a huge blow to the patients who rely on local medical provision.
“There was some discussion about keeping the building open and using it for nurse-led activity such as blood tests and I really hope that can be done.
“Not only because it will help people in the short-term but it also means the building is still operational in the hope we can find a way to get the centre fully open again.”
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