Ardoyne residents hold meeting to rally support for GP service
- Published
The potential closure of a GP practice in north Belfast would cause "complete devastation", residents have said.
A public meeting has been held in Arodyne to rally support for the retention of the Flax Medical Centre.
A replacement GP is being sought after the practice's operator returned their contract to the Department of Health.
Residents are worried the practice, which has about 3,000 patients, will close by the end of December if a new operator cannot be found.
The Department of Health told BBC News NI that it is continuing to work through the process of finding a new GP and that GPs "do not have to cite any reason for handing back their contract".
'People don't want to travel'
Dozens of people attended Thursday's meeting.
Local resident Fiona McKenna told BBC News NI that the community "deserves a lot better".
Fiona McKenna said the practice had to stay
"It's wouldn't even be anger, it's devastation," she said.
Ms McKenna said that receiving information that patients could be allocated to a different surgery "without our permission is scandalous".
She added: "This is a community-based practice here, people don't want to travel elsewhere, they can't travel elsewhere. They don't deserve it. It needs to stay."
Brenda McCotter, who also lives in the area, told BBC News NI she was concerned about how older people would be able to go to west Belfast or the Shore Road to visit alternative doctors.
"What do they do?" she asked.
Fiona Ferguson said people in Ardoyne were furious about the threat to their local GP practice
People Before Profit councillor Fiona Ferguson said people in Ardoyne were furious.
"This is the latest in a list of things that we are having to deal with.
"On top of the cost-of-living crisis we already have waiting lists for mental health and we have major health inequalities in this area, so I can understand why people are furious."
Elaine Burns, from the Ardoyne Association, said local people were "ready for the fight".
"We are not going away and we will fight to keep this service in this area," she said.
When asked why the previous GP had left the practice, the Department of Health said in a statement: "GPs are independent contractors who can hand back their contract at any time providing the appropriate notice is given to the Department of Health.
"As such, GPs do not have to cite any reason for handing back their contract."
It added: "Following the hand-back of the contract, the Department of Health continues to work through this process."