A MEDICAL centre has been left with no permanent GPs after the lead doctor resigned because recruitment pressures have made his position “unsustainable.”

Dr John-Paul O’Sullivan is the fourth GP to quit Bargarran Medical Practice in Erskine over the past 18 months.

He follows doctors John Scullion, Lyndsey Borland and Sarah Ross out the door after “an extremely challenging time”.

The senior partner’s resignation now means NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde will step in from March 1 and take the practice under its direct supervision.

Community activists in the town are planning to write to Health Secretary Jeane Freeman as they look to find a solution to ongoing staffing problems.

Sam Mullin, chairman of Erskine Community Council, said: “We feel the medical centres we have in Erskine are under a lot of pressure.

“It’s taking forever to get appointments and Bargarran seems to the worst. Some people are waiting longer than a week.

“It’s not helpful because we have an ageing population and the people aren’t getting a service.

“The protocol is when surgeries get to this stage the NHS will steps in and take over until something is resolved.

“There’s a shortage of GPs.”

Dr O’Sullivan had been receiving support from locum doctors but said, in a letter issued to patients, that staffing problems had “unfortunately deepened over recent months”.

In the letter, he explains: “The past six months have been an extremely challenging time and I’m afraid we have been unsuccessful in recruiting any new long-term GPs to work in the practice.

“There is, unfortunately, a national shortage of GPs in Scotland at this present time and this situation has compounded our recruitment difficulties locally.

“Our staffing problems have unfortunately deepened over recent months and as a consequence I have submitted my resignation to the health board with a great deal of sadness because my position as lead GP has become unsustainable.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks and best wishes to all the patients and staff of Bargarran Medical Practice who I’ve worked with over the past four years.”

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Assurances...Cllr Michelle Campbell 

Mr Mullin admits it is concerning to see four doctors resign at the one practice.

He added: “At the end of the day, you can’t live in a community without proper services and we are not getting them.

“Bargarran is an example of what can happen.

“Why are they all resigning at that practice? The doctor himself is saying it’s too much.  If a doctor is stressed about workload you can imagine what people are thinking.

“Executive members of the community council will be getting together to write to Jeane Freeman.

“We would take whatever actions are needed to get proper medical facilities for Erskine.”

Staff at the medical centre refused to comment yesterday but a notice on the practice website indicates recent difficulties, stating: “The practice is currently experiencing recruitment difficulties following the departure of Dr Scullion, Dr Borland and Dr Ross.

“Dr O’Sullivan is being supported by locum doctors, allowing the practice to continue to provide GP Services.”

Renfrewshire North and West MSP Derek Mackay said he is “aware of concerns regarding the Bargarran Medical Practice” and the letter that had been issued to patients.

Mr Mackay said he has contacted the practice and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde “to seek assurances and a meeting to discuss the situation in more detail”.

Labour’s Erskine and Inchinnan  Councillor Jim Harte said: “I would like to know how long the NHS have known about this. It’s been a decline for about a year and a half with people leaving.

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Aware...MSP Derek MacKay 

“I will write to the Health Secretary to ask how long they have known about it and why there wasn’t earlier intervention.”

SNP Erskine and Inchinnan Councillors Iain Nicolson and Michelle Campbell added: “Bargarran Medical Practice is a vital service in Erskine and has been over many decades.

“It serves a wide and varied population but in particular an elderly population who would find it difficult to commute to other doctors.

“We have sought and been given assurances the practice will remain open and provide the services people depend upon and we are actively working with our local health and social care body to find new providers.”

A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “The practice will remain open with all general medical and associated services continuing to be provided.

“It has been agreed to move the practice to being run in the short term by the health board and managed through the Health and Social Care Partnership.

“The current GP principal has written to all patients explaining this. The highest standards of clinical and other care will be maintained and patients should continue to make appointments with the practice as usual.”