PATIENTS at a Cheswick Green doctors surgery are up in arms after being told there will no longer be a GP on site.
Village Surgery said i a letter to patients if anybody needs to see a GP or other clinician they would be offered an appointment at Tanworth Lane or one of the other sites operated by General Practice Solihull Healthcare (GPS).
The letter sent out by GPS added there would be an Acute Team made up of paramedics and advanced nurse practitioners would be available at the Cheswick Way surgery from Monday to Friday and a Phlebotomy Team would be on site once a week.
It added GPs have the discretion to arrange to see patients at Village Surgery.
In the letter GPS said outlined the benefits of the changes, which came into effect on April 3, including Village Surgery will be open on Wednesday afternoons, there will be more on the day face-to-face appointments available and the appointments can be booked directly by reception rather than having to have a telephone appointment with the Acute Care Team first.
Sarah Bridge has set up an online petition opposing the removal of GP services and it garnered over 160 signatures in under a week.
She said: “We want GPS to keep a GP at Village Surgery.
“The acute team will be great for many but got more complex cases we want to have a GP available.
“As the petition says we don’t have good transport links here and we have lots of elderly patients without cars.
“The worst thing has been the lack of consultation and finding out by text. Some patients (again the older ones) haven’t even got mobile phones so it’s caused a lot of upset and worry.
“I launched the petition to try to show the strength of feeling about this.”
For more or to sign the petition click here.
The Observer has contacted GPS Healthcare for a comment.
