CONCERN was mounting this week across communities on the Blackdown Hills above Wellington about shock cuts to GP services coming into effect on December 1.

Residents in the area receive GP services from the Hemyock-based Blackdown Practice, which is blaming the cuts on a growing patient list in a ‘financially challenging climate’.

The practice currently has seven doctors and five nurses, but is due to lose one of its GPs, Dr Tim Winter, and practice manager Mark Dodds.

Outreach surgeries are run in premises in Churchinford and Dunkeswell, which are open every morning Monday to Friday and afternoons in Churchinford on Tuesday and Thursday, and Monday and Wednesday in Dunkeswell.

The main Hemyock medical centre opens all day Monday to Friday and also on Saturday mornings.

From December, the afternoon surgeries in Churchinford and Dunkeswell will stop and patients will instead be expected to travel to Hemyock if they cannot make a morning appointment.

A practice spokesperson said: “We have made the difficult decision to close our branch sites at Churchinford and Dunkeswell on all afternoons from December 1.

“All sites will remain open every morning Monday to Friday and we will continue offering afternoon appointments and services, but these will now be provided at our main surgery in Hemyock.

“We apologise to all our patients for any inconvenience this may cause, but we believe it is the most viable way for us to continue to offer a high level of service to all patients across the Blackdown Hills.

“We are facing increasing pressures within a financially challenging climate and from a growing patient list.

“It is becoming more difficult to operate at all three sites and provide sufficient clinical and non-clinical staff to consistently cover the current opening hours.”

Public concern about the cuts was raised at a meeting of the Blackdown Hills Parish Network (BHPN), which brings together parish councils from across the area.

Chairman Cllr Mike Canham, of Otterford Parish Council, said it appeared there had not been any public consultation with people who would be affected by the closures, which added to the level of concern being voiced in affected communities.

Cllr Canham said GP and pharmacy access for those without transport or who worked in the mornings would become difficult.

He said there was considerable concern among residents, particularly the elderly, about the loss of their local surgeries, and many people said they found driving on the roads to Hemyock difficult.

Cllr Canham said: “The worry among patients is that once the practice implements this arbitrary decision, the longer-term future of the Churchinford and Dunkeswell branches will be jeopardy.

“It is very much hoped this is not the case because the Blackdown GP Practice is very highly regarded and valued across the Blackdown Hills.

The proposed closures are due to be discussed on Monday (November 11) by members of the practice’s patient participation group (PPG), who meet in the Hemyock surgery at 4pm.

The PPG will also discuss communication for patients who lack a mobile telephone or internet access.