GPs Plan to Quit

Ballasalla Medical Centre has decided to hand back its health service contract, with the move taking effect at the end of July.

This could potentially lead to the closure of the centre.

The decision was announced by Manx Care, which said it was working with the practice to ‘consider all of the options available to us in order to secure the future provision of GP services to the patients currently being served by the practice, as well as those who live within the catchment area for the practice’.

A spokesperson added: ‘We appreciate that this news will undoubtedly cause a lot of uncertainty for the current patients of Ballasalla Medical Centre.

‘However, patients will continue to be able to access their GP services as usual. We would urge patients not to try and register with another practice at this time, as this will cause a number of issues for the other GP practices in the South of the Island. Plans are being put in place to support patients going forward and we will communicate more on these in due course. Ballasalla Medical Centre will not be taking on any new patients at the current time.

‘We are working together with the practice to consider all of the options available to us in order to secure the future provision of GP services to the patients currently being served by the practice, as well as those who live within the catchment area for the practice.

‘We appreciate that this news will undoubtedly cause a lot of uncertainty for the current patients of Ballasalla Medical Centre. However, patients will continue to be able to access their GP services as usual.

‘We would urge patients not to try and register with another practice at this time, as this will cause a number of issues for the other GP practices in the south of the island. Plans are being put in place to support patients going forward and we will communicate more on these in due course. Ballasalla Medical Centre will not be taking on any new patients at the current time.’

Anyone who is concerned about this news can contact the Manx Care Advice and Liaison Service Team via email mcals@gov.im or on the phone (01624 642642). Although the team will not be able to add anything further to the position outlined above, they will be able to capture any queries or concerns people may have which may arise from this news.