PATIENTS dissatisfied with a telephone triage system at Goodwick Surgery may face further upset as its GP resigns.

Hywel Dda Health Board said Dr Kate Mathias will no longer be providing services at the surgery.

A petition to be sent to Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies, who has spoken of patients’ concerns about the service in Goodwick previously, criticises the telephone triage service and its lack of privacy and delays in accessing appointments.

It states: “The new services at Goodwick Surgery need to be improved. Many people are concerned for various reasons. Confidentiality being one of those. Having to explain exactly what your problem is over the phone, then waiting for a call from a health professional in Cardiff to see whether an appointment is needed. How can you be accurately diagnosed without being seen?

"Young children and pregnant women have been made to wait all day for a phone call to check whether an appointment is 'needed'. This isn't right, it can affect anyone negatively especially those most vulnerable. It's only a matter of time before someone seriously suffers because of the lack of care available. Serious improvement is needed.”

It has been signed by 142 people so far and can be found at www.change.org.

In September the health board stated it employed two part time GPs for a total of five days at the surgery. A primary care support team GP is there for two days a week as well as an advanced paramedic practitioner based on need and rota.

They are supported by an advanced nurse practitioner, a practice-based pharmacist, nursing staff and locums.

No further GPs have been recruited and for the majority of patients it is not possible to book an advance doctor's appointment.

On the resignation of Dr Mathias, Jill Paterson, Interim Director of Commissioning, Primary Care, and Therapies and Health Sciences for Hywel Dda University Health Board said: “It is unfortunate that we announce the departure of Dr Mathias. The health board would like to thank her for providing GP services to the local community during her time with the Practice.

“We would like to reassure patients and the community that we have measures in place to offer the same level of GP service as that which is currently provided from the Practice, supported by the development of new services.

“The health board has a duty to provide General Medical Services (GMS) to our population and we wish to assure the public that this provision remains a key priority for us. Engagement and involvement with the public on any future changes to the way in which healthcare is delivered locally will be a key part of the plan going forward.”

The health board understands that some patients are dissatisfied with the telephone triage service and encourages those who have experienced problems to contact the Practice Manager or the Health Board’s Patient Support Team on 0300 0200 159.

• The health board states that the new telephone triage system allows patients to be seen on a “priority basis” by the most appropriate member of the practice team.

“All staff at the practice are bound by the terms of confidentiality. A brief description of the patient problem is requested by the receptionist in order to ensure advice and/or treatment is given by the most appropriate clinician at the practice.

“Should a patient have a sensitive issue which they would rather not discuss with the receptionist, a GP will contact the patient to discuss the health problem and a joint decision made as to whether a face-to-face appointment is required.

“There may be occasions where a face-to-face consultation is not required and a telephone consultation alone is appropriate. However, if a patient needs to be seen face-to-face then an appointment will be made available.”