Yarmouth’s Doctors surgery, part of the West Wight Medical Practice, is set to close ‘temporarily’ for a period of 6 months, it has been announced.
The reason for the closure is being blamed on a lack of GPs, with just 3 Doctors set to remain for some 11,000 patients when Dr Marshall retires and Dr White leaves the practice shortly. Many local residents have been left confused and shocked by the sudden announcement, which states the complete closure will come into force as early as the 28th of next month.
All staff and patients at the surgery on Station Road will be transferred to the Brookside Health Center in Freshwater – an estimated increase on the neighbouring town surgery’s resources of around 3000 patients.
In a letter to patients sent out this afternoon (Wednesday), the practice have asked that patients do not use health consultations to discuss these changes “as that would slow down the service for everyone”.
Island Echo understand a meeting held behind closed doors last Wednesday discussed the option of closing the surgery permanently.
Yarmouth Town Council’s monthly meeting at Yarmouth Primary School on Tuesday (4th March) at 18:30 will discuss the closure. In addition, a petition has been created and is available at the chemist in Yarmouth to sign.
Letter to Patients
“You may be aware of some of the forthcoming changes at West Wight Practice. Dr Marshall is retiring very soon and Dr White is leaving us to take on different medical roles. The three remaining doctors have been seeking new GPs to join them with little success and now feel that in order to manage the 11,000 patients of the practice a fresh look at how services are provided will be needed.
Article continues below this advertisement “Drs Thomson, Magee and Walker have asked NHS England, who contract for the services at the practice, to organise a new service for general medical care locally. The three Doctors are keen to continue to be involved but feel they need some help to secure the future of the GP services for this part of the Island. We are not alone in finding it difficult to recruit new GPs, other practices both locally and nationally are finding similar difficulties. We will shortly have support from a female GP and are of course grateful to the locums who help us to keep our service running.
“We have adapted our services over the years to manage the change in the GP workforce and have introduced nurse practitioners and expanded the roles of our nurses and healthcare assistants. Our system of telephoning patients who request doctor help means that we can normally see those who need to come in quickly.
“We do now need to make some further changes to help us to continue to provide safe and effective services while the new service is secured and we are writing to seek your support and understanding of these changes as the Doctors will have to manage their resources carefully. Part of this consolidation will regrettably mean that we have to close Yarmouth Surgery temporarily with effect from Friday 28 March 2014.
“If you have any questions please write in or use our Website www.westwightpractice.co.uk and we will answer you as soon as we can. We ask that patients do not use health consultations to discuss these changes as that would slow down the service for everyone.
“What can you do to help:-
- If you need general health advice please consider using your pharmacy or the 111 Service.
- If you have a query which relates to a referral to a hospital service, please ring the hospital number (St. Mary’s switchboard – 524081) and ask for the relevant service or secretary.
- If you ring for doctor’s advice on your medication, please keep your drugs and/or a list of them by the telephone.
“Doctors and staff of the practice will continue to provide you with high quality care and to provide full services from our Freshwater site. As commissioners of primary care services, NHS England and the NHS Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (IOW CCG) are working together with the Practice, to secure services in West Wight for the future.
“Yours sincerely – Drs Thomson, Magee, Walker, Marshall & White”
