NHS Grampian is hopeful a new full-time GP can be found for Braemar despite confirming the local practice will be put under its management.
Health chiefs on Monday revealed no replacements have been found for Dr Donald Cruickshank, who last month said he was retiring after 29 years as Braemar’s sole full-time GP.
This means the Braemar practice’s contract will be handed back to the NHS to Aberdeenshire Health & Social Care Partnership (AHSCP) from December 5 when Dr Cruickshank exits.
The process of handing back the contract, known as 2C, usually means hiring locums to run GP services.
AHSCP already handles services for six Aberdeenshire surgeries.
Struggle to secure 24-hour GP service for Braemar
Despite the decision to take over Braemar, NHS Grampian said the move could still lead to a new GP being found for the town.
The practice will be re-tendered in the new year, with the hope that interested GPs can offer the same 24-hour service as Dr Cruickshank.
Unlike many GPs, Dr Cruickshank, 60, runs his own out-of-hours surgery for the 700 patients at Braemar Health Centre.
This means people in the area don’t have to travel 40 miles to Banchory or wait for an ambulance to reach them from Ballater if they require care outside of practice hours.
In a letter to colleagues seen by the Press and Journal, Janine Howie, AHSCP manager for South Aberdeenshire, said: “We continue to actively look at alternative out of hours solutions which may allow a more sustainable GP service going forward.
“We are absolutely clear that this needs to be done in partnership with the Braemar community and look forward to doing so.”
However, she added that 24-hour resident GP cover “has been difficult to find and that seems likely to remain so after December” when NHS Grampian takes over the practice.
MSP calls for more engagement with residents over GP departure
Braemar’s Scottish Conservative MSP, Alexander Burnett, called the decision a “setback” because the town wanted Dr Cruickshank to continue serving as its GP.
Last month, Dr Cruickshank told the P&J he is willing to stay.
However, the impending loss of 70-year-old part-time associate doctor Douglas Glass, who aids Dr Cruickshank but will retire in November, means he is unable to carry on.
Meanwhile, Mr Burnett criticised NHS Grampian for failing to attend a community meeting in Braemar last week to discuss the situation.
He said: “I’m sure AHSCP will do a fine job in the circumstances, hopefully aided by the fact a 2C arrangement has been decided on so quickly.
“But there should have been real engagement with the community ahead of the decision.
“And that’s a shame because there were a number of positive ideas expressed at the meeting last week, like finding extra resources in the community to attract and retain another GP.”
‘Delighted’ to retain Dr Cruickshank
In a statement to the P&J, Ms Howie said: “Our team has been working closely with Dr Cruickshank and we are fully supportive of his continued drive with the community to recruit, and we would be delighted if he was successful in securing a new GP to the practice.
“I hope that by communicating our intention to take the practice under our management at this stage of the contract hand-back process, we will provide assurance to the Braemar community about the future provision of in-hours healthcare. It will also allow us to continue working with Dr Cruickshank along with the wider Braemar community.
“The people of Braemar are at the heart of our thinking and we are very much looking forward to working with them over the coming months.”