MSP calls on health secretary to stop shutdown of GP out-of-hours service

Health board bosses are facing a huge backlash following their decision to suspend the IRH/Greenock Health Centre service, forcing all patients to travel to Paisley or Glasgow to see a doctor outwith surgery hours.

Stuart McMillan has written to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board chief executive Jane Grant and says he will raise it with health secretary Jeane Freeman.

A petition has been launched in a bid to force the health board, which was put into special measures last year, to reconsider the controversial move.

Mr McMillan, who wasn't aware of the shutdown until the Tele contacted his office, said: "I want the decision reversed.

"I am astounded that of the four hospitals chosen to provide out of hours GP overnight services, the IRH is not one of them.

"I simply do not accept that yet again my constituents are having to travel eastwards towards Paisley and Glasgow.

"I think this issue is about fairness.

"Why should people living in Inverclyde have to drive between 30 minutes to an hour to visit an out of hours GP but someone living in Renfrew has the choice of three hospitals to attend within a 30 minute radius?

"The IRH should have been chosen to provide out of hours GP overnight services and I will be raising this directly with the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

"I can accept when services are relocated for clinical reasons, but what I cannot accept is my constituents continually being disadvantaged and having to spend time travelling outside of Inverclyde for health care.

"It is simply not on.

"I will be raising this at the highest level in both the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the Scottish Government.”

The health board announced the suspension of the service with immediate effect just a day after telling a busy public meeting in Port Glasgow of their commitment to IRH and its future - and the decision has sparked fury.

Glasgow centres Stobhill and Victoria will remain open along with Paisley's Royal Alexandra and the Vale of Leven across the water, which will be open overnight on weekdays.

Bosses blame the shutdown on a shortage of doctors to cover out of hours.

In recent years Inverclyde's out of hours service has been repeatedly closed and local on call doctors have been sent to cover other centres, with the deteriorating in service levels well documented in a series of Telegraph stories.

The health board say average attendance to see GPs out of hours in Inverclyde is 'considered low'.

The area's health and social care convenor, Councillor Robert Moran, has been outspoken against the health board's handling of IRH and says he is incensed at the latest bodyblow.

Cllr Moran, who survived a battle with bowel cancer, said: "This is disgraceful.

"I have had personal experience of the problems that arise when the GP out of hours is closed.

"I am outraged about this and the whole community now has to take a stand over this.

"We all have to unite to stop this happening, every one of us."

Health campaigner Martin McCluskey, who unsuccessfully stood against MP Ronnie Cowan for Labour at the last two general elections, has started a petition against the closure.

Mr McCluskey said: "This is the thin edge of the wedge and we have to take stand.

"If not now when?

"When our highest profile politicians do not stand up for local services they get closed.

"I have been banging my head against a wall over this for years and I am accused of scaremongering.

"I seriously don't think the local MP or MSP can claim this has come out of the blue, or they just haven't been listening.

"We have repeatedly raised this as have trade unions, staff, members of the public, we have all been warning that this would happen.

"This isn't about politics, I am not standing in any election - this is about people in Inverclyde losing a service that is going to affect everyone."

The out of hours shutdown follows reviews into the future of the intensive care unit, the physical disability rehabilitation unit and the decision to no longer treat trauma patients at the local A&E.

MSP Mr McMillan says that despite well established public concern over a gradual reduction in services he is confident that our hospital is safe.

He said: "I have mixed feelings about the health board.

"I am completely against the closure of the out of hours service.

"But I do not believe that Inverclyde Royal Hospital is under threat."

The board says the shutdown is part of a 'short-term contingency plan which will consolidate services and ensure a consistent and stable service can be delivered'.

It says pension changes and local operational issues have left fewer GPs available to work out of hours.

Management say their plan has the backing of Sir Lewis Ritchie, who led a national review into out of hours provision.

Kerri Neylon, their primary care lead GP, said: “A number of contributory factors mean the current out-of-hours service has become unsustainable. Temporary consolidation of services is the only option which will enable us to continue providing this crucial service in the immediate future."

*You can sign the petition against the shutdown of the GP out of hours service by visiting https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/reverse-the-closure-of-inverclyde-s-out-of-hours-gp-service-1