NHS Tayside has defended its decision to shut down a Dundee GP’s surgery at short notice and leave 1700 patients in search of a new doctor.
Ardler Surgery on Turnberry Avenue will close next Monday after the health board terminated the contract to provide GP services at the practice.
NHS Tayside took the unprecedented decision after the General Medical Council announced it is investigating the practices of sole GP Dr Dennis Miller.
Although still technically allowed to continue as a GP, he must operate under conditions that limit where he can work and what he can prescribe.
Another doctor must be on the premises while he is at work.
Speaking exclusively to The Courier, Dr Miller said NHS Tayside had treated his patients unfairly by closing the surgery.
He claimed he had offered to step down as a GP in order for the health board to keep it open.
Although NHS Tayside has set up a temporary surgery as a replacement for Ardler at Wallacetown Surgery in the Hilltown, patients will have to travel over three miles to reach it.
A spokeswoman said the decision to close the practice had been made as a last resort after all efforts to save the surgery had failed.
She said, “This is an unavoidable situation and a decision which NHS Tayside acknowledges is very significant, not least for patients.Potential impact”Given the potential impact on patients, NHS Tayside had hoped to avoid the need to terminate our contract with Ardler Surgery and, to that end, we have been supporting the practice in an effort to enable it to deliver the level of services which is required.
“However, even with this support the practice has not met all the conditions and delivered the level of services required.”
The spokeswoman said the extraordinary state of affairs that led to the decision did not leave NHS Tayside time to carry out full community consultation, something it would normally do.
Local politicians have expressed concerns that many elderly and vulnerable patients will now struggle to see a doctor.
But the spokeswoman said every effort is being made to ensure there is no lapse in the quality of care.
“We have already allocated GPs to the elderly and infirm residents and those who are vulnerable,” she said.
“However, if there are other people out in the community who need help registering then please let us know and we will support them to register with a GP practice if they are having difficulties doing that themselves.
“We are already seeing patients starting to re-register with other GP surgeries.
“We also want patients to know that they will still have continued access to the same community staff, such as health visitors and community nurses and pharmacy services, that they have always used.
“As we have said, at this time and in the short term, registration of patients is our priority.
“As soon as we are assured that patients have access to the same full range of general medical services as all other Dundee residents, we can then look to the longer-term arrangements for GP services in the community.
“When we come to look at these future arrangements, we will of course involve the community from the outset.”