Doctor will be found for Carstairs

ASSURANCES are being given to the people of the Carstairs area that they won’t be left without a doctor next month.
Carstairs Surgery, School Road, Carstairs
23/11/10
Picture by Lindsay AddisonCarstairs Surgery, School Road, Carstairs
23/11/10
Picture by Lindsay Addison
Carstairs Surgery, School Road, Carstairs 23/11/10 Picture by Lindsay Addison

The Gazette has been told of growing nervousness among the 4000 patients registered with the Carstairs GP Practice that there will not be a replacement doctor in post when the existing, sole GP leaves in October.

The departure of the popular Dr Fiona Robertson comes following a troubled and confusing year for medical services in the village and the surrounding area.

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For many years the Station Road surgery not only housed the practice GPs but also a dispensary issuing the prescriptions for doctors.

Then a private pharmacy was given permission by NHS Lanarkshire to open in a former shop in the village, meaning that the GP dispensary was compelled to close, with the loss of its income which had been supporting the GP service,

Earlier this year it was learned that the practice was facing total closure at the end of May, then there was a further announcement that the sole surviving practice GP, Dr Robertson, would be departing in October.

In a statement this week NHS Lanarkshire said: “We appreciate the importance of local access to GP services for residents in Carstairs and we are doing all we can to ensure that, beyond the resignation of Dr Robertson in early October, access is maintained.

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“There has been a good response to the advert for the practice and the Board will manage the interview process with input from registered patients in due course.

“Continuity of service will be maintained for patients throughout the process and through to the appointment of new doctor(s).”

For further details, see this week’s Carluke and Lanark Gazette.