The closure – or relocation – of Wootton’s doctor’s surgery has been called a ‘stab in the back’ by angry residents who will no longer have a practice in their village. In a shock announcement last week, as first reported by Island Echo, Medina Healthcare announced it would be merging its 2 practices together in a new facility on the edge of Newport. The move of Wootton Bridge Medical Centre had always been branded as temporary while ‘significant structural issues’ with the building were resolved but now it has been confirmed as permanent. No date has been announced for the move but village residents were in uproar at a Wootton Bridge Parish Council meeting on Tuesday night where they demanded answers from the GP surgery and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board. Councillor Barry Abraham said they had previously supported the surgery but now it feels like a ‘stab in the back’. Councillor Barrie Hailstone, chair of the parish council, said the decision was ridiculous and announced he would be setting up a sub-working party to ‘carry out investigations’ which would report back to the council. He said they were taking the matter very seriously and they would do their utmost to get to the bottom of it. The parish council has called for a public meeting, with all the ‘decision-makers’ present. But Cllr Hailstone cautioned they could only do so much and could not promise they would be successful. One resident said he currently has to go to the surgery for treatment twice a week but he can’t drive and relies on his wife, so to get to Newport, would be an ‘absolute nightmare’. He called the situation a ‘shambles’ and said the whole thing had been ‘badly thought out’. Another resident said it was important the village acts quickly and demands a meeting before it was too late. Councillor Sarah Redrup said there needed to be a practice in Wootton and they need to come together and think of a way forward as they are not happy with what has happened so far. Cllr Hailstone called on residents to put protest signs up in their windows and gardens and asked residents to sign a ‘notation of protest’ which will be in the parish council office. He said the parish needed to show “the anguish of being left in the lurch”.
ANGRY RESIDENTS SAY CLOSURE OF DOCTORS SURGERY IN WOOTTON IS A ‘STAB IN THE BACK’
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All part of the tory and labour plan to privatise the NHS. They will not stop till it’s like it is trying to see a dentist. Taken us back to the 1800’s. Only one way to fix this. We need to chop some of the fat out of government in the same way the French did.
Both parties work for the same WEF Leader
Perhaps, just perhaps, that HMG having to fund literally ENDLESS newcomers every day to our country, and then fund them as they have their wombs emptied on our soil, and a right to stay, we can’t afford to fund the NHS as it was any longer.
Who DO you think pays for all these people coming here?
Do you think that perhaps the PM, his cabinet members pay?
Do you think the rich will pay? or do you think that the plebs who ‘see no wrong’ in allowing in ‘victims’ or spongers, depending on your stance will pay? Or do you not ‘think’ at all?
Try taking in a family into your home, see if YOU are richer or poorer after a year.
So when the old hobble on the bus to see a doctor in another town, think about it.
Offences under Part 3 carry a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment or a fine or both.
you dont own the name karen, karen
Furthermore…’if the victim or anyone else think it was motivated by hostility or prejudice based on: disability, race, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation. A hate incident becomes a hate crime if it crosses the boundary of criminality.’
Look it is obviously that ranting racist “Ive Searle”. His/her trademark is the reference to “womb emptying”. He/she loves that phrase.
He/she knows that most Internet providers on the island use dynamic IP, which means that IP addresses change every time someone connects to the Internet. However, Internet providers have to keep records of all IP addresses. He/she probably does not realise that and this realisation might now stop him/her posting this racist drivel.
The source of the problem is that IE allows people to use the same name. Any number of actual or not actual karens could post on here if they wish. We also do not know your real identity so it is hard to see how your reputation could be damaged.
Thank you, I didn’t know that. Maybe if everyone called it out then, not just me?
angry residents who will no longer have a practice in their village
any of those residents willing to learn to become a GP – thought not, stop whining, unless you are willing to be part of the solution
Even if 10 people stood up as GP it would still not change Medina Healthcare’s decision to relocate. This because, in this instance, they are blaming structural issues with the building itself (probably crumbly concrete). Instead of getting remedied the cheaper option is to squeeze people elsewhere, regardless. Why? because the government has systematically defunded it. We should change that first.
A ‘STAB IN THE BACK’… that sounds painful, what you need to do is pop along to the surgery… oh, wait, no… get on a bus to Newport, then walk, or hobble, all the way up the industrial estate to get some treatment!
I remember when the idea of a ‘temporary’ move to the back of beyond was put forward, some protests appeared on these pages, but the “I’m alright Jack, I’ve got a car” brigade shouted them down. Suddenly reality has hit home and it’s too late….
BTW – if the building is so badly structurally unsound – how come it still stands?
We didn’t clap for this on our Wootton doorsteps.
Let this be a lesson to all those Wootton Tory voters. Much, much worse is coming if they get voted in again.
Too many elderly smelly fluffs wasting there time this is a major problem
Havent got one in Newport and have to go out to Wootton, works both ways so stop whingeing
If Wootton are about to lose their surgery, what about the surgery in Newport for Newport residents (West Street)? This surgery was closed for patients at the outbreak of Covid & all Newport patients had to travel to Wootton! I don’t recall such a big issue being raised by Newport patients at the time. To me, it would seem that Newport patients are just getting their surgery back. Shame that Wootton will have to close but it only was a satellite surgery of West Street in the first place. I’m sure every little village on the Island would like there own surgery but unfortunately times change.
The difference is that the new surgery will be out of town. Yes, Newport clients had to go to Wootton which wasn’t ideal but at least it’s on a main bus route. Many people from Newport and Wootton will find the new premises difficult to access.
Why do you need to visit in person, use the phone, ipad or econsult.
Any ‘hands on’ procedure can be done by just viewing a DIY You Tube vid.
You are just stuck in the past and not willing to evolve and embrace the New World we live.
Argyll House Surgery in Ryde is near and is covering Wootton Bridge area, it is under new management, they are renovating the building and accepting new patients. It’s not too far from Wootton.