An Aberdeenshire GP surgery could be forced to close its doors due to population growth in an Aberdeen suburb.
Udny Station GP may have to shut with its patients being transferred to a medical practice 10 miles away in Bridge of Don.
The decision was announced in a letter to surgery patients by the practice’s contractor Scotstown Medical Group, which is based in the Granite City suburb.
In August last year, the surgery – which covers Balmedie, Potterton, Udny Green and other rural localities – reduced its operating hours.
In the letter from the medical group’s director Peter Reynolds, he reveals the decision to consider closure has not been “taken lightly”.
He said operational challenges due to population growth in Bridge of Don have “significantly impacted” their Scotstown practice, which is one of only three practices in the area.
Known as “Europe’s largest suburb”, Bridge of Don’s population – which is nearing 25,000 including Danestone – is rapidly increasing, with 536 council properties being built in the Cloverhill area.
As well as this, 67 new Cala Homes will be built nearby, while hundreds of homes have already been constructed at the Grandhome, which will comprise of 7,000 properties across seven different “neighbourhoods” when complete.
This has resulted in the GP surgery “informally managing” requests for patient registration, meaning they do not allow new patients unless they meet certain criteria.
House building having ‘negative impact’ on Udny Station GP surgery
Mr Reynolds said: “This has had a negative impact on the Udny surgery, as we have from time to time been unable to release a clinician from Scotstown to support at Udny.”
According to the letter, other reasons for its potential closure include “ongoing challenges in being able to continue providing a GP service at Udny Station”.
Mr Reynolds said this is “becoming more challenging” and is “negatively impacting our service delivery at Udny and Scotstown”, which already has more than 12,500 patients.
They are also facing challenges due to increased operating costs, with the rising charges of medications and operational expenses putting a strain on resources.
The current arrangement is described as “financially unsustainable”.
Current patients of the Udny branch will have the opportunity to register with another GP practice should they reside within the local area.
However, this opportunity will not be available until 12 weeks after its potential closure.
Also, if the branch does close, patients will also no longer be able to collect prescriptions from the facility, which is located on the village’s Woodside Terrace.
Hitting out at the surgery’s potential closure, Gordon and Buchan MP, Harriet Cross, has written to health bosses with her concerns.
She said: “This announcement is deeply concerning and underlines the incredible pressures that practices in rural communities, such as Udny, are facing.”
‘The system is broken’
“Patients will understandably be worried about this potential closure and the impact it will have on the ability to see a GP face-to-face,” she continued.
“It’s completely unacceptable that patients will have to endure a 20-mile round trip to Scotstown Medical Practice in Bridge of Don, as is being suggested, which is already at breaking point due to the growing population in that area.”
“The knock-on effect of patients not being able to see their GP is putting huge pressure on our overstretched A&E department at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
“I have now written to Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership and the Scottish Government asking what measures are being put in place to ensure these communities don’t lose their vital medical centre.”
Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership and Scotstown Medical Practice have been contacted for comment.
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