News about the world: Villagers meeting after GP quits

Some patients face bus journeys from Pentyrch to find a GP

Around 2,100 patients have been left without a doctor in their village after the sudden closure of their GP surgery near Cardiff.

A public meeting in Pentyrch on Monday afternoon will discuss the issue.

Dr Canute Benedict, who was due to retire next year, told BBC Wales he had been in a dispute with health officials after losing the right to carry on dispensing medicine from the practice.

The local health board will not comment until after the meeting.

Patients, given only a few days warning of the changes, have been advised to register with a practice in Radyr in the interim but this could involve an hour's journey on two buses for some.

The Cardiff and Vale Local Health Board (LHB), local councillor Craig Williams and the Cardiff Community Health Council (CHC) have called a public meeting, scheduled for 1600 GMT on Monday at Pentyrch Rugby Club.

Dr Benedict said although he could still prescribe, he was not allowed to dispense medication any longer - an important part of the viability of the practice.

He claimed his surgery had been compromised by a pharmacy being allowed to open nearby and had been struggling to sell the surgery, ahead of his retirement, without it having the right to dispense.

Dr Benedict said he was "disheartened" about leaving and that his patients had been "extremely devoted" to him and they had expressed concern to him about him leaving so abruptly.

Dr Canute Benedict said his surgery was no longer viable because although he could prescribe he could no longer dispense medicines

Dr Benedict said he was keeping the surgery building open for the time being with his staff working, but patients had been told to go to Radyr.

"I built the surgery from scratch 30 years ago and the dispensary, included in the surgery, has been the single reason for the success of the practice."

He said the loss of income and the cost of overheads made it no longer viable in a small village.

Cllr Craig Williams, local member with Cardiff Council, said: "I'm working hard with both the LHB and CHC to put in place both short and long term solutions for patients, starting with the public meeting on Monday.

"Though in the short term at least, many elderly and vulnerable people will face an unacceptable indirect bus journey to seek medical help."

The particular demography of Pentyrch, in a rural area with a high proportion of elderly residents, means that there is a more pressing need for a locally-based doctor.

“The suddenness of Dr Benedict's decision left no time to investigate adequate alternatives”

Steve Allen Cavog Community Health Council

Steve Allen, from Cardiff and Vale Community Health Council, represents patients in the area.

"Pentyrch, in common with many rural areas, faces a particular set of challenges, separate to many people in more urban areas of Cardiff," he said.

"The public meeting on Monday will hopefully identify ways in which the LHB can best support vulnerable and older people, within the limitations of the current situation. One option which we need to make people aware of, is the transport services provided by several voluntary groups."

"Ideally everyone would like to see a GP back in Pentyrch, though at the moment this is looking unlikely.

"The suddenness of Dr Benedict's decision left no time to investigate adequate alternatives."

Mr Allen added that it was possible that no GP will ever return to Pentyrch, given the price of property in the area, and the fact that only around 1,000 Dr Benedict's patients fall within the boundary of the Pentyrch catchment area.

That figure is generally considered unsustainable for a viable GP's practice.

The LHB say they will comment on the situation after they have had the opportunity to talk directly to patients at Monday's public meeting.

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