VILLAGERS are up in arms about the prospect of losing their GP surgery and are rallying to save it from closure. 

Residents of Drybrook and the surrounding areas are urged to attend an extraordinary meeting of the parish council at 6pm tonight (Wednesday, April 12) to make their case to save Drybrook Surgery, after Gloucestershire NHS announced last week that its closure was being considered.

Many locals are unhappy with the handling of the situation as they feel they weren’t given enough time to respond to the possibility of losing the practice, with consultation having closed yesterday (Tuesday, April 11). 

It comes after the team at Mitcheldean Surgery took over the delivery of services at Drybrook in December, with the practice having faced “significant pressures” in recent times.

But the NHS says that “unfortunately”, Mitcheldean are unable to continuing providing services at Drybrook after June 1. 

People in the village say it wasn’t stated when Mitcheldean took over that the arrangement may only last for six months. 

A joint statement from the surgeries at the time said that Drybrook becoming a branch of Mitcheldean would make it “a stronger surgery able to offer high quality care to patients well into the future”.

A spokesperson for Drybrook Parish Council commented: “It is very much felt by parishioners and patients that the consultation period has been far too short, with a short questionnaire and letter posted to patients on 30th March to be returned by 11th April.”

The letter to patients stated that all viable solutions for the patients of Drybrook were being considered, with the decision due at a meeting of the NHS Gloucestershire Primary Care and Direct Commissioning Committee (PCDC) next Monday (April 17). 

The NHS says the options include “a new provider taking over the service as part of a branch surgery model or as a standalone contract”, and the surgery’s closure.

But many residents feel the decision has already been made, and are keen to press their case for the surgery’s retention at tonight’s meeting.

A statement from the parish council reads: “The closure of Drybrook Doctors surgery potentially affects not only its patients but the patients of neighbouring surgeries who will have to take on the 4000 plus patients that it currently serves.

“NHS Gloucestershire has told us that they are consulting us on the future of Drybrook Doctors Surgery, however all the indications are that the decision to close has already been made, including the extremely short timescale for the consultation.”

In attendance at the meeting will be Becky Parish of the NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB), who will answer questions on the surgery’s future. 

The meeting is open to the public, who are also invited to ask questions, and will take place at the Holy Trinity Church in Harrow Hill at 6pm.