Health board begins “urgent review” and apologises after Deeside GP surgery closed due to no doctors

The health board in North Wales has said it will carry out “an urgent review of systems and process” after a Connah’s Quay doctors surgery closed due to no available GP’s.

Alyn and Deeside MP Mark Tami said he is “intensely concerned” following reports St Mark’s Dee View Surgery in Connah’s Quay closed on Monday due to having no doctors.

Several people have been in touch with Deeside.com about the surgery of the past few days unhappy with the service at the surgery.

One local resident – who preferred not to be named – told us the situation at the surgery was getting “beyond a joke now.”

He has been waiting over two weeks for a repeat prescription to be signed for his child’s chronic eczema “but there are no doctors available to sign it.”

Betsi Cadawladr Univesity Health Board has said the issue on Monday was caused by two doctors being off work because of sickness.

Dr Chris Stockport, Executive Director of Primary and Community Care, said: “I would like to apologise for the problems that patients experienced at St Mark’s Dee View Surgery on Monday 28th June.”

“We do everything possible to ensure that all GP practices are fully staffed but there are very rare occasions where it isn’t possible to cover the GP shifts.”

“On the day in question at St Mark’s there were two doctors absent due to sickness.”

“In this situation, we would normally put processes in place to ensure that patient’s needs can still be met.”

“This can be either through providing an appointment with another member of the clinical team, arranging an appointment with the GP on the following day or arranging an urgent appointment at another Practice.”

“At St Mark’s on the day in question it would appear that these options were not explained to patients, and this must have been distressing for patients contacting the surgery.”

“This service that patients received on that day falls below the standard that they can expect, and we are carrying out an urgent review of systems and process at St Mark’s to ensure that there is no repeat of these problems.”

Alyn and Deeside MP Mark Tami said he is aware of the situation at St Mark’s Dee View Surgery and “I am intensely concerned about this.”

“Whilst we all recognise the burden on GP surgeries as we move out of the pandemic, some of the constituents of the experience have reported to me are below what is acceptable.”

“Whilst I cannot comment on the specific details of individual cases, an overarching theme is of delays leading to serious, avoidable harm that will affect some people for the rest of their lives.”

“I have written to the health board about this issue calling on them to take immediate steps to ensure there is enough capacity for everyone who needs to be seen, to be seen, promptly.”

“Whilst I await a response from them on this issue, I would encourage everyone who has concerns about this issue to let me know, by email to tamim@parliament.uk or, if you cannot access email, please call 01244 836350.”

“The more people who come forward, the stronger our case is for getting this issue fixed.”