Rosslea Save Our Surgery: campaign group gets human rights charity backing

The Participation and Practice of Rights project (PPR) – a charity organisation established by the internationally renowned human rights and trade union activist Inez McCormack – has said the Health and Social Care Board’s (HSCB) decision to close the surgery on April 19 means that “people living in the Rosslea area are being denied their rights.”

READ: Rosslea GP surgery closure: Fury over closure, what now for Rosslea?

The HSCB has said that the surgery closed after absolutely no applications were received during the recruitment process for a single-handed GP to take over the contract for the provision of General Medical Services at Rosslea Surgery. 

Maple Healthcare in Lisnaskea has now taken on patients from Rosslea Surgery, Dr. Leary’s Lisnaskea Practice and Dr. Devlin’s Practice in Newtownbutler.

The Save Our Surgery Roslea/Rosslea campaign group travelled to Belfast last week, demanding a meeting with health officials. 
When they explained they had been travelling since 6am, three men were allowed to address the room: Chairman Seamus Carolan, Mark Rooney and John McCloskey.

Mr. Carolan told the HSCB officials that under United Nations Article 12, member nations are charged to provide timely and appropriate primary medical care within communities. 
He stated: “The closure of our surgery is in contravention of our rights in this respect.”

He outlined that Rosslea is in the lower half on the scale of social deprivation and claimed that “with a growing immigrant community now living in this area these figures will have increased substantially.” 
He further told the meeting that the transport being proposed “is simply not appropriate to ferry young families or elderly patients to and from Lisnaskea Health Centre.” He suggested that “if the cost of this transport were translated into an enhancement package offered to a doctor to work in Rosslea, we believe that there would be applicants.”
Mr. Carolan concluded: “A precedent has been set in Portadown where doctors employed directly by the Trust are providing medical services to patients.”

In response, Dr. Ian Clements, Chair of the HSCB reportedly acknowledged that there is a “significant evolving issue in local villages in County Fermanagh” in relation to GP services. 
The campaign group has pledged to attend the June HSCB meeting if action is not taken to re-open the surgery.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman from the PPR project told The Impartial Reporter: “The people of Rosslea have a human right to equal and timely access to appropriate health care, including at the all-important primary care.
“The Minister for Health’s response to the Bengoa expert panel report reinforced the importance of primary health care services, and set out ambitious plans for the transformation of GP services in the near future. 
“Instead of that vision being realised, the decision by the HSCB to close Rosslea GP practice has meant that people living in the Rosslea area are being denied their rights .
“Vulnerable members of the population including those with mental health problems are now expected to travel up to 30 miles to see a GP. 
“It is critical it is that people in mental health crisis can access help from their GP without delay.”
She claimed that the fact the Southern Trust has taken over the running of the Bannview GP surgery in Portadown shows that a solution can be found.

A HSCB spokeswoman responded: “As independent practitioners GP Practices operate as small businesses, often operating from their own premises. 
“They have a responsibility for employing their own staff including doctors, nurses, receptionists and healthcare assistants. 
“In order to ensure a safe, comprehensive and quality General Medical Service to all patients, given their current staffing resources, Maple Group are operating from two sites at Lisnaskea and Newtownbutler. 
“Maple Group continue to work hard to recruit additional GPs to build the sustainability of their service.”