Doctors allegedly ‘refusing to work’ amid surgery financial issues

Elgan Hearn, local democracy reporter

Councillors are seeking a meeting with health chiefs to discuss major concerns about getting appointments to see doctors at medical practices, amidst reports of communication breakdowns and doctors “refusing to work”.

The medical practices in Brynmawr and Tredegar are managed by a Leicestershire based firm, eHarley Street primary care solutions, although the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board say they don’t have any contracts with the firm.

Concerns

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council on Thursday November 28 the concerns were raised as councillors received the annual report and area plan for health and wellbeing from the Gwent Regional Partnership Board (RPB) for 2023/2024

Cllr Sonia Behr (Labour) asked how did the model of care for the region “sit” with what was actually being experienced by some of its residents in Blaenau Gwent “on the ground.”

Cllr Behr said: “Basic primary care is in a mess at the moment locally,

“Surgeries are grouped together and managed by a team based in England with very little communication, only email at one stage.”

She claimed that there had been financial issues with the surgeries and GPs had not been paid for their work.

Cllr Behr claimed that doctors were responding by “refusing to work” and that this would have a knock on effect on other GP surgeries in Blaenau Gwent.

Cllr Behr said that for the last three days people have not been able to book an appointment at her surgery in Brynmawr.

Cllr Behr said: “When I asked why, I was told that it’s because they don’t have any doctors.”

Head of the Gwent regional partnership team, Natasha Harris who had presented the annual report said that the RPB is not “directly involved” in the work of GPs but would try and: “find out a little bit more.

Interim director of social services Alyson Hoskins said that she would be “happy to take it up with” Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABHB) and arrange a meeting.

Communication

Deputy council leader Labour’s Cllr Helen Cunningham suggested that the council leader Cllr Steve Thomas and the chief executive Steve Vickers should write to the health board on an “urgent basis.”

This would be to flag up the issues and the: “level of concern about this.”

Opposition Independent group leader, Cllr Wayne Hodgins said: “We are seeing significant problems in Brynmawr.”

He added that talks with the health board over these issues had already taken place but did not seem to be “hitting the right notes.”

Cllr Hodgins understood that there were similar problems now being reported about the GP practice in Tredegar.

Cllr Hodgins said: “If someone could take it to the next level, we would all be grateful.

“This situation is starting to escalate across the borough.”

Cllr Jules Gardner (Labour) added that the company also run GP practices in Torfaen and Newport.

Cllr Gardner said that another meeting with the health board had been arranged for January, but believed it needed to take place earlier than that.

Cllr Garnder said: “This issue will have an impact on social services and all other care areas in the borough.

“It needs to be addressed as soon as possible.”

Council leader, Cllr Steve Thomas (Labour) agreed that he would bring the issues up with health chiefs.

Councillors then went back to the RPB annual report and agreed it.

Response

Following the meeting a heath board spokesperson said: “The health board does not hold any general medicals Services (GMS) contracts with e-Harley Street Primary Care Solutions.

“All GMS contracts within Aneurin Bevan University Health Board are held with named individual GPs.

“We are aware of concerns related to a GP partnership within the health board region and are meeting regularly with the GP Partners to ensure they are operating in line with their contractual obligations.

“We acknowledge the high demand for primary care services across the country, and this is also experienced here in Gwent.

“We are committed to working with and supporting our GP partnerships to provide sustainable and reliable services for our population.”