By Lesley Walsh
PATIENTS at a Holywood GP surgery are becoming increasingly frustrated as they try to get appointments to see a doctor amid recent closures due to staffing issues.
People enrolled with Priory Surgery have called on local politicians to intervene as they struggle to see a GP in what they have described as a ‘very poor service’.
North Down MLA Andrew Muir said his office ‘continues to get contacted about difficulties making appointments’ at the High Street surgery and has appealed to the Health Minister to intervene.
Mr Muir said he would ‘continue to engage with management on this matter’, in a social media post which attracted criticism from users angered by closures at the practice, including last Friday and this Friday, April 10.
Patients at the practice’s other branch, at Springhill in Bangor, fear the same circumstances could appear at their surgery, hampering more patients’ attempts to make appointments.
A message on the surgery’s website confirmed its operations were being hampered by staffing issues.
“Unfortunately the practice continues to face staffing challenges across our administrative team, primarily as a result of significant long term sick.
“Whilst we are actively recruiting, there is no financial support available to cover administrative staff who are off. We are working to minimise the impact on patients, however, there will be some unavoidable impacts, particularly relating to telephone waiting times.
“As a result of the aforementioned shortages, we will need to close our Holywood site from 12.45pm on Friday, April 3, however, our Springhill site will remain open and can be used by Holywood patients. Any samples should be left at our Springhill site. This issue does not impact on GP or Treatment Room availability.”
The difficulties at the practice follow significant changes in its management in recent years.
In early 2023, the previous GP partners at the surgery, incorporating Springhill, announced their departure from the practice, prompting interim management by the local health trust which stepped in to maintain services.
The following year, the practice was taken over by the Federation Support Unit GP Management CIC.
The move ended the ‘urgent only’ appointments that had been operating temporarily at both practices, bringing relief to patients with news that the new doctors involved were resuming multi- disciplinary services,
Commenting on the issue, Mr Muir said this week he was ‘very concerned’ about the situation facing patients and the surgery.
“I am very concerned that patients are continuing to experience difficulties in accessing care via Priory and Springhill surgeries in Holywood and Bangor,” he said.
“Some of the personal experiences told by patients struggling to get an appointment are disturbing. I will continue to engage with the GP Surgery Management at Priory and Springhill urging action to turn this situation around.
“I have already written to the Health Minister raising my concerns about the future of Silverbirch GP Practice and need for a secure future whilst also highlighting the issues encountered at Priory and Springhill Surgeries in Holywood and Bangor.”
The Alliance politician’s comments on Bangor’s Silverbirch Medical Practice’s fortunes refer to concerns for the future of that service after the longstanding doctor leading it announced he was giving up his contract.
Patients in Holywood have reacted angrily on social media to news of the closures stating: “It’s always the Holywood branch they close, why not close the Bangor one for a change? Are people in Holywood not important enough for them? It’s ridiculous.”
Another patient said: “This is not a good sign for Silverbirch as it would seem to be going the same way’.
Another user told how they had been trying to make an appointment after telephoning the surgery for seven days and when they finally got through and complained the patient said: “I was told that I had other options”, including going to accident and emergency in hospital or to seek private care.
“You don’t understand, this is a free service we provide and we have thousands on our list,” the patient reported, branding the ‘very poor’ service as a ‘joke’.
