Iwade Health Centre was without any doctors again on Monday a month after health bosses promised two locums would be in post “imminently.”

Concerned mum-of-two Rachel Rook, 38, said: “I called first thing on Monday and was told there were no GPs because of sickness. My husband James, who has a back injury, desperately needed to be referred to his consultant at Medway Hospital.

“Apparently only a GP at his registered surgery can do this otherwise we would have gone to the walk-in surgery on Sheppey.”

Mrs Rook, who lives in Cormorant Road, Iwade, added: “I feel sorry for the receptionist. This must be the worst place to work. It is so frustrating. The only way we can get this sorted out is to keep raising it in the media.”

In March our front page made national headlines when we revealed the surgery in Monins Road had more receptionists than full-time doctors.

In April NHS Swale Clinical Commissioning Group, which plans and pays for the area’s healthcare, promised two permanent GPs and an advanced nurse practitioner were due to join “imminently.”

At the time it admitted the practice, which serves 5,000 patients, had “staffing issues.”
A spokesman insisted: “Despite reports in the media, we can assure people that Iwade has continued to offer appointments with locum GPs.”

But this week the spokesman admitted: “Regrettably, Iwade Health Centre had to open without any GPs on Monday due to staff sickness.

“The CCG is working with Malling Health, which runs the practice. It is doing its best to secure a locum GP. The practice has an advanced nurse practitioner who can support patients and can prescribe some medicines.

“Patients should contact the practice in the first instance for advice.”

She added: “We are continuing to monitor the service but while it continues to offer a disrupted service we’d ask patients to call NHS 111 if they are unable to get a GP appointment or need advice on an urgent medical matter.

“They can also use the walk-in centre and minor injury unit at Sheppey Community Hospital and the minor injury unit at Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital.”

The surgery has struggled to recruit doctors after lead GP Neil Poplett left earlier this year. Iwade parish council has been demanding action to get more medics.

According to the practice’s website it has five receptionists, a medical secretary, a practice manager, an advanced nurse practitioner, a practice nurse specialising in chronic diseases and a healthcare assistant.