Over 100 hear of proposal to close Ballygowan clinic

Over 100 hear of proposal to close Ballygowan clinic

19 June 2013

VARIOUS options for retaining a GP surgery in Ballygowan were discussed at a public meeting in the village on Monday evening.

Around 120 people attended the meeting to discuss the proposed closure of The Brae satellite GP surgery and to examine ways of retaining a GP presence in the village.

A proposal to close the satellite facility, which is linked to the Lisbane Surgery, was announced in early March, following consultation with patients in Ballygowan registered with the Lisbane surgery.

At Monday night’s meeting, concern was expressed at the condition of the building used to provide the satellite service and the poor public transport links between Ballygowan and Lisbane.

Councillor Deborah Girvan said 27 per cent of residents in the village are registered with the Lisbane surgery’s satellite facility in Ballygowan.

“There is concern that the building currently used to provide GP services in the village is no longer fit for purpose,” she said.

“Patients who see their doctor in Ballygowan who have no transport of their own would have to take a bus to Comber and then change to take another bus to Killyleagh to make their way to the surgery in Lisbane,” she explained

Councillor Girvan said a notice of motion is to be tabled at Ards Council urging the local authority to draw up a list of the key people who need to be consulted about the future of GP services in Ballygowan. She said one organisation which will be asked for its further input is the South Eastern Trust.

“It’s important all the key players sit down and agree the best way forward for patients in Ballygowan which has a growing elderly population,” she continued.

Councillor Girvan said local people would support any move to retain a GP presence in Ballygowan and hope a suitable building to provide such a service could be identified.

She continued: “There is a need to get all the key players around the table for a meeting to discuss where we go from here and take a close look at the future of GP services in Ballygowan.

“There is a need to examine all potential options before the satellite surgery is closed. It has been suggested to contact other GPs who have patients in Ballygowan to see if they would be prepared to provide a surgery for perhaps one day a week in the village.”

She said patients in Ballygowan are registered with a number of GP surgeries in addition to the one in Lisbane. She said a survey revealed residents are registered with surgeries in Saintfield, Comber, Carryduff, Castlereagh and Dundonald.