I, like a good many folk in Clare, am very frustrated that the Hardwick Surgery remains closed although apparently it’s open!!!

I was offered a Teams meeting with someone from the West Suffolk Alliance and the head of Primary Care in West Suffolk. I was able to outline my concerns that the surgery has not been open for years and yet they claim to still be providing services for 950 patients.

I made the point that it appears that changes are being made to the surgeries for the surgeries benefit rather than the benefit of patients. Asking folk to travel to Sudbury to see a Doctor may not always be in the best interest of the patient.

We discussed the impact of covid and of the increase in demand of more complex issues that have not been dealt with because of covid. I put the challenge that it felt wrong that our pharmacy had capacity to carry out more covid jabbing and wanted to do so yet it was GP surgeries that were still doing them. This might have freed up capacity at the GP’s. Cynically, I wondered about how the payment per jab had affected behaviours.

I was very impressed with the openness of our conversation. I asked for and was promised to be invited to the next CCG / Hardwick House meeting. Whilst the surgery can operate pretty much as it likes there are certain criteria including inclusivity that must be taken into account.

I will remain on top of this issue.