Uddingston surgery to close despite patients’ objections

Feb 18 2010 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

A CONSULTATION exercise over the closure of Uddingston’s Old Mill Road surgery was this week branded a “sham.”

Angry patients, at meetings organised by NHS Lanarkshire, as part of an ‘engagement’ process, described the proposal by Dr Anne MacAlister’s practice proposal as a “fait accompli.”

Around 50 people attended a meeting on February 4 and another 80 went along to a meeting on February 11.

MSP Michael McMahon and councillors Jim McGuigan, Henry Mitchell and Maureen Devlin were also there.

Dr MacAlister and Partners, a team of six doctors, run the surgery and Viewpark Health Centre in Laburnum Road. It has a total of 9500 patients and GPs take turns working at each location.

The Old Mill Road surgery will close at the end of March and move all services to Viewpark Health Centre 1½ miles away.

By consolidating the practice there, doctors believe they would be able “to meet patients’ needs and provide them with the best possible service”.

But patients have said the move will cause a great deal of inconvenience – particularly for elderly people without transport.

Following the recent meetings, some described consultation as “meaningless” and “window dressing”.

One protester told the Advertiser: “There was a lot of disappointment at the meetings over the lack of consultation about the move. One speaker described it as a ‘PR disaster’ because they were holding the so-called consultation after the decision had been made.

“The premises have been sold to the Balmers. Dr MacAlister admitted that at one of the meetings. It’s a done deal.”

Others expressed dismay at the timing of the announcement.

“There were rumours circulating in Uddingston in November, yet patients didn’t receive letters until January 11,” said another objector.

“Patients were kept in the dark. They should have been informed about this a lot sooner.”

NHS Lanarkshire stressed this week they do not have the power to overturn Dr MacAlister and Partners’ decision to close the surgery.

A spokesman added: “The engagement process is nonetheless an important opportunity for patients to raise any questions or concerns with NHS Lanarkshire and the practice.

“NHS Lanarkshire have the responsibility to ensure there are general medical services for the people of Uddingston and we have been actively working with the Lincluden practice to allow patients to continue to have the option to transfer there.

“The Lincluden Practice (with almost 7000 patients) is continuing to accept patients and we are looking at a range of options to ensure there is ongoing capacity.”

At one of the meetings, a patient had asked an NHS Lanarkshire official to put it to bosses to consider advertising for doctors to take on a second surgery in Uddingston.

However, the spokesman pointed out: “NHS Lanarkshire would only be in a position to advertise a contract for a new practice if an existing contract were to end.

“This is not the case as Dr MacAlister and Partners will continue to have a contract with us to provide general medical services.”