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PATIENTS in Smallfield have lost their weekend acute services amid changes to GP hours.

Smallfield Surgery in Wheelers Lane had been open on Saturday mornings for patients who urgently need a doctor, despite a change in GP contracts four years ago.

It was one of just two practices that continued the service.

Now residents have been told they must go to East Surrey Hospital if they fall ill over the weekend, the same as other residents covered by Surrey Primary Care Trust (PCT).

GPs are currently contracted to work from 8.30am to 6.30pm on Monday to Friday.

Acute, non-emergency, services outside those core hours are provided by the PCT at East Surrey Hospital.

Until the start of this month Smallfield Surgery, along with Wayside Surgery in Horley, continued to provide acute services with the support of the PCT but Government proposals to offer ordinary appointments outside core hours has led to the trust withdrawing funding for acute services at surgeries while new agreements are thrashed out.

Dr Terence Conaty, of Smallfield Surgery, said: "The PCT offered support to the practices who wanted to open.

"It has now withdrawn the support because there is going to be a new scheme, out of hours, different to the one we have been providing.

"The Government wants the appointments to be available for planned care in the evening or a Saturday morning so people who work are able to see their GP and we cannot provide both.

"The patients have been very happy with the service that we have been providing. The fact that we are having to change the service is something some people are not happy about."

A PCT spokesman said: "Surrey PCT welcomes the introduction of extended GP opening hours because it will mean even better access to primary care services for people in Surrey.

"Whilst we regret the need for change at Smallfield Surgery, we need to ensure there is a consistent approach across Surrey.

"Should the surgery wish to continue opening on a Saturday morning they can choose to do this as part of the PCT's new extended hours agreement.

"If a patient needs to access care outside of usual working hours they will continue to be able to do this through the out-of-hours service that operates across the county."

10:30am Wednesday 14th May 2008

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