Patients in north Devon have started a social media campaign to find a new GP for their surgery at risk of closure.
Symphony Healthcare Services, who currently runs the GP surgery in Lynton, said it is ‘unable to continue’ with their GP contract from the end of April.
The provider told patients in November that GP practices across the county ‘have experienced significant challenges’ in recruiting GPs and despite their ‘best efforts’ to recruit into their vacant clinical posts and secure a new provider to run the service, they were unsuccessful.
Now the practice’s patient participation group and local residents, with a green light from the ICB, have started to advertise for a GP role at the surgery themselves.
Their advert, shared widely on social media, said: ‘SOS – Save Our Surgery – Are you a GP looking for a partnership in a beautiful location in the UK?
‘Do you miss the good old days of general practice when you got to know your patients and their families? If your answer is yes, then please get in touch.’
In a statement, Devon ICB said it has been ‘actively supporting’ the patient participation group at Lynton with their advertising and recruitment campaign, including providing funding for the advert to be included in national medical journals, and following up with any interested parties who contacted the PPG following their appeal with more detailed information.
The ICB said: ‘We have, following both local and national advertising, identified some local providers who are interested in taking over the running of the service and are in the process of identifying a preferred provider, ready to take over in May 2024.’
Currently there has also been no decision made by Devon ICB to reduce the service compared to what is currently available and no decision on a new provider.
The statement added: ‘Unfortunately, the providers who have expressed an interest so far have been unable to commit to a five-day service due to their own staffing and financial limitations.
‘However, final bids have not yet been reviewed and we are still exploring all options for a full service should a suitable GP and/or organisation apply to run the service.’
Last year, a town in Cornwall organised a flash mob and produced a music video to attract GPs to their surgery – and managed to find a new GP.
What———no AARs ?