A public meeting will be held in a Perthshire village today after residents were told their GP practice will be left with no GPs at the end of August.
NHS Tayside made a formal announcement on the fate of the Bridge of Earn medical practice this week.
The two existing family doctors resigned from the Main Street surgery two months ago and as the clock ticks on their three-month notice period no replacements have been lined up.
Around 3,500 patients are registered with the practice and the figure is expected to rise as Perth and Kinross Council’s local development plan proposes up to 1,800 new homes in Bridge of Earn and Oudenarde.
A letter from NHS Tayside’s primary care trust to one registered patient, explaining the situation was posted online by Earn community council member Paul Vallot earlier this week.
It said: “The Bridge of Earn Medical Practice has faced ongoing challenges in attracting new GPs, similar to many GP practices across Scotland.
“In addition, there has been a long history of seeking to improve the premises from which primary care services are delivered in Bridge of Earn.
“There has been considerable work undertaken by NHS Tayside, Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership, local GPs and in partnership with the community council, to ensure continuity of primary care service provision for the local population.
“However, over the past few weeks, GP partners in Bridge of Earn have resigned their positions and the practice has now submitted notice to cease responsibility for delivering primary medical care services from August 30.”
The statement went on: “Providing good quality, safe and sustainable patient care is always our first priority and there are a number of options which are currently being explored to ensure continuity of service provision.
“The local community should be assured that every effort is being made to ensure patient services are not disrupted. Staff at the practice have been made aware of these developments and patients will be informed as plans move forward.”
An NHS Tayside spokesperson said the health board “would take steps to secure alternative medical services” but it has still to confirm what these might be.
Mr Vallot said the community council only found out the news this week after months of trying to secure a new practice.
The group has arranged a meeting with Mark Ruskell MSP at Dunbarney Church Hall at noon on Friday. The chairman of the Integration Joint Board has also been invited.
Mr Vallot said: “We need to know why the GPs have resigned, what the plan is for August 31 and if there is a possibility of there being no surgery.
“We have money ring-fenced for a new surgery and we’ve been working tirelessly for one, but we don’t have it yet.”
The lack of communication over the issue has been labelled “diabolical” by Almond and Earn SNP councillor Henry Anderson.
He said: “I’m very disappointed in the NHS Tayside Primary Care Trust.
“We cannot put 3,500 more patients into Perth. We’re not being alarmist, we just need transparency. The community council and I were assured that £1m was put aside for a new surgery at the start of the financial year.”
Registered patient Louise Hirst is among those worried by the impending closure of the practice.
She said: “I think it’s madness that the village is getting bigger with lots of new family homes being built and we could lose such a vital service.
“Perth surgeries could not cope if we all had to move to them.”
