I am writing this especially because something I value so much is in danger of being lost. In April 2018 I transferred from what was formerly the Park Surgery in St Austell to the Mevagissey Surgery. I had been a patient at the ‘Park’ for very many years and I had found the service to be excellent. Unfortunately, in the St Austell area, one of four Surgeries, the Polkyth Surgery, failed. I think that was ‘financial’ failure. The three remaining Surgeries in that area then combined to save the fourth and rebranded itself to be the ‘St Austell Health Hub’. Very much was promised and there were very positive open days at the now transformed Polkyth Surgery and the future looked bright. It took a while for the reality to dawn. I found after that reorganisation that the ability to get appointments became more and more diminished and convoluted through the ‘Hub’ that in the end the only offer was a four day wait for a phone call from a doctor to see if I needed an appointment, and yes, I did need an appointment which I had a day later. It wasn’t just this, it was also the alienation from my old Surgery into a new ‘faceless’ system. The transfer to the Mevagissey Surgery was easy and I was again in the company of happy people. What I felt about the misery of the Hub was echoed by other people, generally by a bit of a grim face, a few words, and quickly passed over. My experience on the other hand for just over the last twelve months at Mevagissey has been absolutely brilliant. I have huge sympathy with the GPs that united to form the Hub, I’ve now done some background reading of NHS England documents, especially 2016 and updates, and I can see they have been pushed to do what they have. It’s entirely political and in the gift of Policians to dictate. GP services have been underfunded and they have been forced ‘to do more with less’. Well of course that doesn’t work unless a system was poor in the first place, and it wasn’t.
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Every Doctor I have seen has always treated me with the utmost dignity and respect. I have many many complex health issues and to hear that the surgery is under pressure from closure is an absolute disgrace. This government should take a long hard look at itself and be thoroughly ashamed. if NHS England and the government are asking people whether they want Skype calls then they should be disgusted with themselves. How can I possibly diagnose a heart problem over Skype it is impossible? This surgery needs to stay open.
Original Comment Report...