Derry SDLP Councillor calls for new management to be found for Racecourse GP surgery

SDLP Group Leader councillor Brian Tierney has said that new management must be found for the Racecourse Medical Group in Derry.

The current management of the GP surgery have handed back the contract, leaving the future of the surgery uncertain.

Councillor Tierney said that patients in the Shantallow area rely on the surgery and that every effort must be made to keep it open.

Councillor Tierney said: “The news that the management of the Racecourse Medical Group have handed back the contract is causing extreme concern for people in this area who have come to rely on the services provided at the surgery over a number of years.

"People have built relationships with the staff who provide an excellent standard of care and people in this community would be devastated to see it close.

“While the surgery will continue to operate as normal for at least the next six months, we need to see urgent action from the Department of Health to find new management so that it can continue to provide services to people in this area.

"GP surgeries across our city are already stretched and the situation will only deteriorate further if they are forced to take on more patients as a result of closures.

“We are seeing announcements around GP surgeries facing closure across the North on a weekly basis and people in all of our communities are concerned.

"We need to see greater support put in place for the GPs we have and renewed efforts to attract doctors to take over these surgeries as others retire or chose to leave the profession due to the huge pressures they are under.

"The SDLP has repeatedly highlighted the challenges facing health provision in the north west and it’s key that everyone in this area can access healthcare when they need it.”