Human rights group backs bid for return of 'fully-funded' GP services in Carnlough

The community group says it has been signposted to the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) with support from the Rural Community Network.

It has reported it has been advised it has a case for a complaint “on equality grounds”.

Carnlough Community Association has also stated a resident has initiated a complaint to the Commissioner for Older People.

Health Minister Robin Swann has said making the temporary GP surgery in Carnlough permanent would be “unfair to other GP practices and would have to be financed at the expense of other practices”.

The Health Minister was responding by letter to correspondence from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council demanding the reinstatement of fully-funded GP services in the seaside village after surgery hours were reduced to two half days.

The minister has insisted the funding arrangement was “never to last indefinitely and was over and above the standard funding which all GP practices received based on their patient population”.

The Cushendall-based Glens of Antrim Medical Centre agreed to accept 1,381 patients in February 2017 following the closure of a GP practice in Glenarm. As a result, it received additional temporary funding support for three years to assist with the additional workload of adding these patients to the practice, the minister’s letter to councillors stated.

The letter went on to say the Department “continues to fund in full the rent and rates for the branch surgery premises in Carnlough”.

“Glens of Antrim Medical Centre provides a vital and much-valued service to its patients and we will continue to work closely with them.”

A motion by Coast Road Alliance Alderman Gerardine Mulvenna received cross-party support at the council after she told members Carnlough Surgery took 1,400 patients following the retirement of Glenarm GP Dr Benny Glover in 2017.

Ald Mulvenna said that the Glens of Antrim Medical Centre agreed to take on the majority of patients raising its patient list to 2,400 on the understanding a full service would be provided for Glenarm and Carnlough patients, five days a week and it was not to affect the service in Cushendall.

Ald Mulvenna went on to say funding expected to be ongoing has stopped and it is “not financially viable” to provide services at Carnlough Surgery five days a week.

Dr John McSparran, Glens of Antrim Medical Centre, said he welcomes the council intervention but he fears it may take a tragedy to occur before a review will occur.

He insisted a “full-time service” was to be provided in Carnlough from the outset.

A letter to the media from Dr Margaret O’Brien, assistant director of Integrated Care and head of Medical Services, stated: “In February 2017, Glens of Antrim Medical Centre agreed to accept 1,381 patients from a nearby practice following the retirement of the GP.

“As a result, they received additional, temporary funding support for three years to assist with the additional workload of adding these patients to their practice – eg for registration and introductory clinical reviews.

“This funding arrangement was never to last indefinitely and was over and above the standard funding which all GP practices receive, based on their patient population.”

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter