Yahoo News Future of 'vital' Devon village doctors' surgery in jeopardy
Residents living in a rural and isolated village and surrounding areas in North Devon are at risk of losing their 'absolutely vital' doctor surgery and having to travel eight miles to the nearest one. The results of an engagement survey of patients at Old Stables Surgery in High Bickington - part of Torrington Health Centre (THC) - will help form a final decision due to be made next month over whether to shut the surgery or keep it open.
One of the arguments for it to be retained is that there is no direct bus service from High Bickington to Torrington. Local charity Torridge Volunteer Cars provides payable transport for those in need of any age in north-west Devon, but it is not certain it would be able to cope with demand if the surgery closes.
Before March 2020, there were five GP clinics and four nurse clinics per week Old Stables Surgery, totalling 15 hours. Due to 'pressures' during the coronavirus pandemic, the surgery closed between March 2000 and August 2021. It reopened at a reduced capacity due to staffing issues.
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GP appointments are currently only available at the surgery on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and there are no nurse clinics, which has reduced the operational hours by 10.5 hours a week to 4.5 hours. Patients who require a GP appointment outside of those hours, or need the nurse, can attend THC or request a telephone or online consultation. Home visits are provided to patients who cannot leave home and fall within THC's boundary area.
A four-week consultation was launched at the end of January by THC to determine what the 'potential implications and impact' would be if it were to permanently close the surgery. The short survey included questions such as, 'what effect, if any, has the temporary closure and the reduction in services at the High Bickington branch surgery had on you', and 'if High Bickington branch surgery closes permanently, would you be adversely affected by this, and, if so, how?'.
In a letter accompanying the engagement survey, practice manager Nikki Down said: "Since the changes were made, we have seen increasing numbers of patients coming to the Torrington site from High Bickington for in-person appointments, as we are able to offer a greater range of services from this site.
"The surgery site in High Bickington is not in line with modern healthcare facilities. There is no parking, access to the building does not accommodate patients with wheelchairs or mobility scooters and there is no disabled toilet facility on the site.
"However, we also know there are limited public transport options in the area, so we understand this may impact access and peoples' choices.
"We want to understand the impact that these service changes have had on people in High Bickington and the surrounding areas. We also want to hear from patients about the potential implications and impact if we were to permanently close the branch surgery.
"To understand this, we are conducting an engagement exercise to gather people's views."
The next steps have been confirmed by NHS Devon. A spokesperson for NHS Devon said: “Torrington Health Centre has been considering the future of the branch surgery at High Bickington since its temporary closure during the pandemic. A period of engagement took place with patients and local stakeholders earlier this year.
"This feedback is currently being reviewed and the practice is considering next steps. We expect a decision to be made on the branch site next month.”
The engagement survey has been criticised with some patients claiming they were not notified about it by the health centre. The health centre has said it received 283 responses and that the surveys were made available on the practice website and on Facebook. It said patients were also sent SMS links to the surveys and printed copies were posted to housebound patients.
Printed copies were also said to be available at the High Bickington branch surgery, the main site at Great Torrington and the local High Bickington shop. It was also said to be advertised on social media and via Healthwatch Devon.
High Bickington resident Gillian Stevens said: "I didn’t hear about the engagement survey until a week after it began. I never received a text message and several people I know didn’t get one either.
"I believe the surgery was given only four hard copies so we photocopied about 50 and put them in the shop. Our population has doubled since we did the fundraising to buy the land and build the surgery in the 1980s.
"Apparently, we signed it over to THC otherwise the NHS wouldn't support it and now they are trying to close it down. THC are saying more patients are going to Torrington but that's only because they have made us go by reducing services.
"It's not just the older people who will suffer; many have said they find it demeaning having to ask friends or family for lifts. It will also affect younger families too whose husbands/ partners are at work during the day and they have no chance of getting their children to the doctors. Some have said that's why they moved here as we have a post office, community hall, a shop and surgery.
"The surgery is absolutely vital and to lose it would be disastrous. We have had three new estates built here and there is planning permission for another 50 houses."
Although Gillian can drive, she says she has previously had a period of not being able to use her car and would not have been able to get to THC using the bus service.
She said: "We have one bus service five days a week that goes to Barnstaple. It leaves at 10.15am and the last bus back from Barnstaple to the village is 1.30pm so it does not give you enough time to get to and from THC in time.
"Our surgery is about 10 steps from the village square so there is plenty of parking. The community shop opposite the surgery has said we can borrow their disabled ramp and disabled toilet if required for the time being and villagers will fundraise to make any alterations required to the surgery."
The future of the surgery has prompted a campaign group to be launched. In a letter written by Save Our Surgery campaigners, it stated: "The village is growing; Torridge District Council (TDC) it as a Local Centre ie bigger than a village, but not a town. The Local Plan (TDC 2011-2031) show an additional 90 plus houses planned for the village.
"At least 50 per cent of other Local Centres have a surgery or satellite facility. Since the surgery was built, well over 100 new residences have been built.
"We have a wide age-range population with your parents, children and older people all needing medical care close by. Our surgery is also used by Atherigton and Burrington residents and all areas in between.
"We are a rural and isolated community with very limited public transport that doesn't go to Torrington whatsoever. For those that do not drive, older patient who require assistance and those not technology enabled will require even more assistance to have their medical needs met, and place an extra burden on those that help them.
"Environmentally and cost wise, transport expenses will be borne by all residents travelling return to Torrington (average £7.50, instead of surgery staff coming to High Bickington.
"Parking from surgery users never seems to cause an issue for those living in the centre of the village. Most patients walk to the surgery or car users park considerately. Parking is available for surgery staff."
Torridge Volunteer Cars charges 45p a mile from the driver's door back to the driver's door, plus a £5 admin fee.
John Conniss, chair of trustees at Torridge Volunteer Cars, said: "We always try to get a driver as close to the passenger as possible. A minimum of two working days notice of a drive is required but we cannot guarantee a driver. If a driver is needed the same day the chances of fulfilling that drive is nil.
"While we do not mind taking on additional passengers, we are limited by the number of drivers we have. What we hate is taking a booking and then having to inform the passenger that we are unable to supply a driver. We are always in need of new drivers and if we can increase the number then the number of drives we can undertake also goes up."
