A Levenmouth GP surgery is to offload thousands of patients from its books in a bid to ease pressure on the service.
Methilhaven Surgery plans to re-register two-thirds of its patients – about 4,000 people – with two nearby practices.
About 3,000 of them will be registered with Airlie Medical Practice in Lower Methil – a mile-and-a-half away – with the rest being registered with Muiredge Practice in Buckhaven, about half-a-mile away.
Methilhaven was taken over by NHS Fife in August last year, when it also moved to a temporary new premises at the Wellesley Unit in Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital in Buckhaven.
Due to a national shortage of GPs, it has had to rely on locum staff.
Difficulty accessing appointments
A letter to patients said: “We recognise that many patients at Methilhaven Surgery have had difficulty accessing appointments.
“Following constructive discussions with two local GP practices, an agreement has been reached to help reduce the pressure on Methilhaven Surgery and improve local medical services for the practice’s patients.
“Both practices will be supported with clinical additional staff to ensure they can maintain the high-quality care they currently provide as they increase their patient list.”
Move ‘concerning’
Patients will be transferred to the new surgeries on a phased basis over spring and early summer, and those affected will be notified in the coming weeks.
Methilhaven will continue to operate with a reduced patient list of about 2,000.
Councillor David Graham, council spokesperson for health and social care – who also represents the Buckhaven ward – says the move is “concerning”.
He said: “I have been contacted by a number of constituents recently regarding concerns about Methilhaven Surgery and the pressure they are under at present.
“It’s obviously concerning to see GP practices having to look at these kind of measures to make the service more sustainable due to the challenges which are being seen across the country as GP numbers reduce.”
Lisa Cooper, head of primary and preventative care at NHS Fife, said: “We recognise that many patients at Methilhaven Surgery have experienced real difficulties in accessing appointments and we committed to the local community that we would take the necessary actions to improve service provision for the practice’s patients.
“Working alongside Airlie and Muiredge Practices over a number of months, we have developed longer-term plans which we are confident will help to ease the pressure on Methilhaven Surgery and improve local medical provision across the whole of the Buckhaven and Levenmouth area.”
Conversation