Victory in fight for village clinic

Victory in fight for village clinic

12 November 2014

STRANGFORD clinic has been saved from closure.

The move comes after a major campaign to keep the doors of the facility open which this week saw health officials confirming that not only will the clinic will remain in business, but money will be invested in it to upgrade services.

A community campaign to retain the clinic was launched at the start of the year when the GPs who run the facility lodged an application with the Health and Social care Board to close the Strangford operation and move the service to their main base at the Downe Hospital.

But on Monday, Drs. Una Small and David Moore confirmed in a letter to patients who use the Strangford clinic — which opens one day a week —that it will remain open.

The GPs revealed that following a guarantee from the Health and Social Care Board and South Eastern Trust, the clinic will also be updated to meet the needs of the community. Significantly, their letter says GP services in Strangford have been “protected for the foreseeable future.”

Councillor Gareth Sharvin, who was heavily involved in the campaign to retain the clinic, believes the decision to keep it open provides an opportunity for additional health and social services to be delivered in the village.

“This is tremendous news for Strangford and everyone involved in the campaign to keep the clinic open. Residents will be delighted it is not only to remain in business, but the building which provides the service is to be upgraded. The decision is a victory for people power,” he continued.

Councillor Sharvin described the clinic as the “beating heart of Strangford” and warned the loss of such an important service would have had a major impact on patients.

He continued: “The closure of the clinic would have been a major blow for the entire village. A previous bid by the South Eastern Trust to close the clinic was seen off by local people who are now delighted the facility is to be retained and upgraded.

“Our campaign was successful due to the large number of people who weighed in with their support to have this vital facility retained and enhanced.”

In July, residents staged a major public demonstration in opposition to the proposed closure, with over 800 people signing a petition calling for the proposal to be shelved.

“Our campaign also utilised the power of social media to get its message across and the fact the clinic is to remain in business is down to people power. Without the tremendous support of the people of Strangford and surrounding areas the result may well have been different,” said councillor Sharvin.

He said he is also confident continued GP services and investment in the Strangford clinic will allow the doctors to provide an even better service for local people.

Councillor Sharvin added: “I believe there is now a great opportunity for further services to be provided at the clinic, including those focusing on health and social care in particular. The building could also be utilised to provide villagers with information on housing and benefits.

“Going forward, it’s now all about utilising the facility for the benefit of the Strangford community. The fact the clinic is to remain open is tremendous news.”