HUNDREDS of people living on the Brendon Hills face having to change their GP following the announcement that a two-doctor practice based in Washford is to close.

Drs Philip and Margaret Wilson are resigning at the end of September and their current list of 1,760 patients will be transferred to Dunster-based GPs Ian Kelham and David Davies.

NHS England, responsible for commissioning the GP contract for the surgery, said this week that it had worked with the Wilsons to explore all available options for the on-going care of the Brendon Hill patients.

But as the location of the current surgery would no longer be available because it is also the Wilsons’ home, the best option for patients was for primary care medical services to be provided by Dr Kelham and Dr Davies, who also run the Porlock surgery.

The current Dunster surgery is set to be replaced in January next year by a new £1 million purpose-built facility but until it comes on stream, a temporary clinic will operate daily in Roadwater Village Hall from September 28.

“The new premises have specifically designed consultation and treatment rooms, a dispensary and dedicated parking and will have the capacity to treat patients from both the Brendon Hills and Dunster surgeries,” said a spokesman for NHS England.

She said the chosen option would not only provide continuity of care in the short term but should guarantee a sustainable future longer term.

Dunster currently has 2,200 patients on its books but its new premises have been ‘future proofed’ because the NHS wants the facilities to be able to service at least 3,600 patients.

Old Cleeve parish councillor and Roadwater resident Jude Johnson-Smith told the Free Press she was concerned that there had been little consultation over future GP services for the Brendon Hills area.

“Certainly there have been no discussions or consultation with the parish council,” she said.

“This appears to be a done deal and at the very least I think the temporary outreach surgery planned for Roadwater should be provided on a permanent basis.

“Patients received a letter a couple of weeks ago telling them about the situation and apparently there has been a newsletter but that only seemed to be available at the surgery and if you don’t go to see your doctor very often you wouldn’t know anything about it.”

However, Old Cleeve resident Judi Stabb, a member of a patient participation group set up to work closely with the Dunster practice during the changeover, said the situation had been handled well.

Patients would be free to choose an alternative practice if they did not wish to join the Dunster surgery, which would have four full-time and one part-time GP.

Staff currently employed at the Brendon Hills surgery would also have the opportunity to be transferred to Dunster so there would be no job losses.

Regular newsletters were also planned to keep patients informed about the move and two ‘drop-in’ sessions would be held on August 19 – in Washford Memorial Hall from 2pm to 4pm and Roadwater Village Hall from 6pm to 8pm so that patients could see the plans for the new surgery and ask questions about the move.

Mrs Stabb said the Dunster GPs also planned to work with the Wilsons before the end of September to get to know their patients.

Dr Kelham told Brendon Hills patients in a recent newsletter that he and his fellow GPs would like to continue the small practice feel from modern purpose-built premises.

“Whilst we know it is further to travel for some of you, we feel your care will continue to be personal,” he said.

The Brendon Hills surgery’s catchment area includes Old Cleeve, Washford, Roadwater, Monksilver, Clatworthy, Upton, Nettlecombe, Elworthy, Treborough, Brompton Ralph, Huish Champflower, Wimbleball Lake, Luxborough, Withycombe and all the hamlets and farms in between.

The area has been served by its own surgery since the 1950s when Dr Maurice Hardman began practising from facilities in Leighland near Treborough.