The Island’s MP Andrew Turner and residents of Yarmouth have welcomed the news that Doctors Thomson, Magee and Walker of the West Wight Medical Practice have withdrawn their notice to NHS England to permanently close the Yarmouth Doctors Surgery.
This latest news comes after negotiations with other Island GPs has led to an agreement of sufficient support for the team, which has almost 90 years of GP experience between them, to continue delivering the contract as they are confident of finding an Island solution to the current situation.
A date has not been set for the Yarmouth surgery to re-open, but information will be made available as soon as practicable.
Mr Turner said:
“This is a great example of the Island’s NHS pulling together for the good of the patients. There was great disquiet in Yarmouth about the prospect of the surgery closing for six months – and even fears that it would be lost altogether. Tim Gibbs of the Yarmouth Pharmacy organised a petition which gathered around 3,000 signatures demonstrating the strength of local feeling.
“It was very clear to me that the doctors are absolutely committed to the community they serve and to finding a solution if it was at all possible – I am very glad they feel that has been achieved in principle. Long-term closure of Yarmouth’s GP practice may also have threatened the viability of the pharmacy, where the pharmacist Tim Gibbs is held in very high regard, and the doctors have particularly asked that people continue to use his services. We must now wait for the negotiations to proceed so that the details of the future service can be finalised.”
Pharmacist Tim Gibbs added :
“I am very grateful for the support of all our patients and everybody involved in working together and supporting each other to find the right solution for the West Wight. This is an example of the local NHS community listening to the patients and putting the care of patients first which is what the NHS is all about.”
Article continues below this advertisement
