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Newry & Armagh MLA Justin McNulty has said that a proposal has been made to close Maphoner Surgery in Mullaghbawn and send patients to alternative surgeries across South Armagh is “out of the question.”
Mr McNulty claimed the Southern Trust was behind the proposal but a spokesperson from the Trust said that “GPs are independent practitioners and are not managed through the Southern Trust.
The spokesperson said “The Southern Trust has not made any proposals to close Mullaghbawn GP Surgery and the Chief Executive has not met with Mr McNulty on this issue.”
Mr. McNulty was speaking after a series of meetings on the issue with the GP Federation, the CEO of the Southern Trust and the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health.
Mr McNulty said: “any proposals which involve the closure of Mullaghbawn GP Surgery need to rejected totally. South Armagh’s GP practices are already buckling under the pressure of the worst GP to patient ratios anywhere in the North, and the suggestion that a solution to the current issues at Mullaghbawn is to pull the shutters down and send patients to Cross, Newtown and Meigh is utter madness.
“The Trust and the Department need to put their heads together and find a way to incentivise GPs to come to Mullaghbawn – that is what has been done in other parts of the North, and it now needs to be done in South Armagh."
A spokesperson from the Department of Health who manage Primary Care said "Department of Health staff are working extensively to ensure the continuation of GP services for the local community in Mullaghbawn.
We are still in discussions with potential contractors to take over the current contract for Maphoner Surgery from 1 July 2023.
Patients of the surgery should continue to contact their practice as normal for their healthcare needs.
We would like to reassure patients that in similar situations across Northern Ireland, our staff have worked hard to find solutions and GP services continue to be provided."
