GP practice will close this month

The Condorrat Medical Practice launched a consultation exercise about the future of its satellite Handa Practice which received 88 responses.

There are 197 patients registered with the Village practice who live in the Village, 41 of whom are aged over 75.

During the consultation period there were a total of 180 appointments available. 69 were taken by residents of the Village. 77 by patients who lived elsewhere – 29 appointments were unused and five patients failed to attend.

A briefing on the GP situation from NHS Lanarkshire stated that the practice has concluded it is not feasible to continue to operate in the Village.

From Monday, April 1, care of all Village patients will be provided by Condorrat Health Centre.

GPs will continue to visit those who are housebound and provision is also being put in place for the re-ordering of prescriptions.

Central Scotland list MSP Mark Griffin and Cumbernauld East councillor Gillian Fannan have called on NHS Lanarkshire to step in and provide primary care health services in the Village.

During General Question Time in the Scottish Parliament on February 19, Mr Griffin received assurances from the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Jeane Freeman, that provision would be retained in the Village.

Mr Griffin said: “I am deeply concerned at news that the Cumbernauld Village GP surgery is set to close, leaving patients isolated and facing a four-mile bus trip to access primary care services.

“I raised my concerns with Health Secretary Jeane Freeman and demanded the government ensure that a primary health provision is retained locally.

“The Health Secretary agreed with me and gave assurances that people in Cumbernauld Village would have access to high quality primary care services that are easily available and accessible to patients.

“Health Boards have intervened in the past to directly run practices and, based on Jeane Freeman’s response to my question, I called on NHS Lanarkshire to do this in The Village.

Now that it is looks certain the existing practice will close, NHS Lanarkshire and the SNP Government must redouble their efforts to ensure a replacement service is delivered for local patients as a matter of the greatest urgency.”

Councillor Fannanwho represents the Village, added: “It is completely unacceptable to expect hundreds of patients in the Village to travel to Condorrat to access services that should be available locally.

“With bus services being poor and with so many vital health services being ripped out of our communities by the Scottish Government for more than a decade, it is crucial that a primary care service remains in Village.

“The Scottish Government and NHS Lanarkshire must step up to the mark and deliver for my constituents.”