Moray health group confirm official investigation into coastal surgery closures
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AN investigation into the decision to close Hopeman and Burghead doctors surgeries is set to take place, Moray health campaigners have confirmed.
The two branch surgeries were permanently closed earlier this year, affecting approximately 7000 residents in five Moray coastal villages.
Burghead, Cummingston, Hopeman, Duffus and Roseisle residents must now travel to Lossiemouth to receive medical care.
Prior to the closure, patients were asked about the plans with around 85 per cent of survey respondents asking for health services to remain in the two villages.
The Save Our Surgeries campaign group have been fighting to re-instate the GP services in the two villages and have confirmed they will meet with Evan Beswick from NHS Argyll and Bute, who has been appointed by Scottish Health Secretary Michael Matheson to look into the consultation process.
Mr Beswick will meet with the group, along with members of the Moray Integration Joint Board (MIJB) and Health and Social Care Moray to see if there has been any irregularities in the way the consultation process was conducted.
Campaigners have vowed to continue the fight following the sale of the Hopeman surgery and Moray Coast Medical Practice's decision not to renew the lease on the Burghead building, which ends this month.
Committee member Hazel Grant, from Burghead said: "We need to stress the disappointment felt by patients feeling that medical provision was removed prior to consultation and despite 85 percent of survey respondents voting to keep the local facilities in future.
"We can express our desire to facilitate primary healthcare in some shape or form being brought to reality. The council has stated to us how oversubscribed Maryhill surgery in Elgin is and, as it is the nearest on a bus route for our locality, we want to explore how that excess of patient numbers could be improved if a healthcare hub was established in our neck of the woods."
Read More: Fight to keep Hopeman and Burghead surgeries 'still on'
The group also recently met with Richard Lochhead who said: “I hope that the community, our hard working local GPs, nurses and health practitioners can work together to find creative and positive solutions that address local concerns.
“I am looking to support them with their efforts and am intent on collaborating with all the stakeholders involved.”
Save our Surgeries committee member, Liz Mcknockiter said: "I was delighted to be a part of a very useful meeting with our local MSP Richard Lochhead.
"Mr Lochhead brought forward new avenues to explore as part of our ongoing fight to retain some form of medical provision in the five coastal villages.”
She added: "I am extremely disappointed in the attitude of the MIJB but we will continue our campaign until we resolve this issue to the satisfaction of the people of the area."
