An East Kilbride doctor's surgery operating as an ‘emergency only’ service at times during the pandemic has been slammed a "shambles" by furious patients.
Patients of Kirkview Medical Practice were urged to "show patience" last month after the surgery announced a reduced service.
Lanarkshire Live revealed that locals were sent a last-minute text message advising the practice will operate as emergency only as of Monday, July 11.
Residents were told routine appointments were unavailable due to significant staffing pressure.
A post on their website read: 'As ofJuly 11, we notified NHS Lanarkshire of our plans to reduce services due to long-term illness amongst practice staff and holiday leave.
"We have little to no cover to assist with absences.
'We will maintain an emergency on the day service only for our GPs. In the meantime, please consider whether it is necessary to contact the practice and consider visiting your local pharmacy or the NHS Inform website for advice and guidance.
"We are sorry for the inconvenience this may cause.'
But disgruntled patients of the Hunter Health Centre practice have lost their patience with the surgery, saying COVID can no longer be used as an excuse for the "shocking" service.
Speaking to Lanarkshire Live, one patient said: "Throughout COVID they have been an absolute nightmare and this has continued long after the pandemic has stopped.
"The practice regularly blame COVID, but how does this explain where their GPs are? They are letting patients down and increasing the burden in the NHS.
"It's impossible to see a doctor...they are impossible to get through to by phone and I feel really worried for the elderly/vulnerable having to hang on in a queue and potentially be put off getting checked out.
"This is an absolute shambles."
Google reviews show patients of the practice for 30 years complaining about how bad it has become.
Commenting on the situation online, another patient said: "Absolute disgrace especially since COVID hit," another review read "absolute joke of a 'service'. Never answer phone, engaged all the time, but nobody there."
One review even read: "Worst doctors I have experienced."
Kirkview Medical Practice was rated the worst GP surgery in East Kilbride and featured in the bottom 12 in Lanarkshire in a recent survey.
The Scottish Government's Health and Care Experience Survey 2021/22 asked 130,000 people across the country what they think about their local practice.
The health board previously told Lanarkshire Live a 30 per cent increase in activity had been reported in GP surgeries across the area.
Alistair MacKintosh, NHS Lanarkshire primary care manager, said: "We appreciate the frustrations and concerns of local residents when their general practice is not able to provide a service in the same way as they were prior to the pandemic.
"As independent contractors it is for each individual general practice to decide what model of care they provide. This may include a hybrid model of options that involves a shared decision-making process, balancing patient choice and autonomy against practice circumstances/capacity and clinical judgement.
"There are fundamental pressures facing GP practices, not just in Lanarkshire but across Scotland. These pressures were already causing issues before the Covid-19 pandemic but the pandemic has added further challenges due to long-term staff absences and the recruitment and retention of staff, both clinical and administrative."
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