Patients to have say over struggling Alness and Invergordon Medical Group as NHS Highland shares improvement plans and locums help plug gaps
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FRUSTRATED patients with a troubled Easter Ross medical group will get a chance to air their grievances amid ongoing complaints about phones remaining unanswered and recruitment difficulties.
Crisis-hit Alness and Invergordon Medical Group was taken over by NHS Highland earlier this year as it struggled to replace staff and faced complaints over appointment times and the treatment of some patients.
It then emerged some staff had not received legally required PVG disclosure checks essential for those working in the sector.
NHS Highland – which has a team of 20 GP locums plugging gaps in service – this week acknowledged ongoing concerns over appointments and said it will be "will be recruiting additional receptionists to increase the number of calls being answered and more phone lines are also going to be installed within the practice".
The Journal was contacted by one patient referred by the practice last week via a recorded message to call NHS 24 on 111 – only then to be told to contact her own health centre.
Cartoons of skeletons holding the line awaiting an answer have circulated on local social media.
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NHS Highland said the practice will also be holding its first patient participation group meeting this week "to discuss current issues and progress".
Asked how many doctors short the practice is at the moment, NHS Highland said: "Practices can be run using multi-disciplinary teams involving a number of healthcare professionals including nurse practitioners, paramedics and pharmacists; this influences the number of GPs needed. While there are vacancies for salaried GPs at the moment the practice is currently operating with their existing team complimented by locum advanced nurse practitioners (ANPs) and GPs."
The practice has a regular team of 20 GP locums "who have all given excellent feedback to the practice team". Many have been booked for regular shift patterns to help provide patient continuity. Remote locum GPs are complimented by on-site GPs and on-site ANPs seeing patients for face to face consultations if necessary following triage. NHS Highland said: "We have started to receive excellent feedback from some patients following their consultations."
MSP Maree Todd, a pharmacist by training, has sought assurances that issues raised "are being urgently addressed". She said: "It is essential that access is improved and faith in the practice is restored within the community so I will continue to work along with my constituents and NHS Highland to ensure that the problems that have been raised with me are addressed."
She said: "I am pleased to hear that the local practice management team are establishing a patient participation group – I think it’s a great opportunity for local people to shape the service and improve the practice going forward.”
Cromarty Firth councillor Molly Nolan welcomed regular updates from NHS Highland. She added: "That said, it’s clear that the level of service is still far below what it should be, and that there are many challenges to resolve. I hope to work with NHSH to tackle the issues people are having with getting through to the practice on the phone.”
Fellow ward councillor Tamala Collier welcomed steps to improve phone lines and noted staff have now all undergone their PVG checks.
She said: "All complaints which are on file are currently being worked through and complaints can still be submitted and the surgeries are welcoming the feedback as they recognise the necessity of it if they are going to improve."
The urged people to get involved in the patient participation group. Interested parties can contact the practice in writing or via email nhsh.gp55338-admin@nhs.scot.
She has written to health secretary Humza Yousaf about the issues. She said: "All of us will continue to work as a team to do all we can to ensure the surgeries are brought up to scratch as soon as possible."
Cllr Maxine Smith has been posting updates via NHS Highland and said that despite issues with getting appointments, efforts are being made to recruit doctors. She said: "The locums they have are very lovely and professional. I wish they could be enticed to stay. This is not just an Easter Ross problem it's similar in other Highland areas. Many of our doctors retired at the same time. NHS is also starting to deal with the other complaints aimed at the local practices but they're mostly regarding a former GP who has since left his post."
Related: NHS Highland admits it's struggling to recruit staff to troubled practice
