A plan to shut a south Belfast out of hours GP service is facing push back from politicians warning it is a vital resource in the community, particularly for older and more vulnerable people.
South Belfast MLA Edwin Poots has written to the Belfast trust outlining his opposition to closing the service provided at Knockbreda Health and Wellbeing Centre, according to party colleague, Lisburn and Castlereagh Councillor Brian Higginson.
The trust has announced its intention to close Knockbreda and fold services into one location, on the Crumlin Road opposite the Mater Hospital.
But the trust adds: “In order to make the best use of public monies, we consider it would be more cost-effective and more efficient to provide the service from one base, alongside the relatively newly established Phone First service.
”Evidence has shown that the current model is no longer sustainable and frequently, unfortunately we have had to close one site due to workforce issues." A consultation period continues until early January.
Councillor Higginson has tabled a motion calling on the trust to maintain the “vital” service at Knockbreda.
“This is a vital service in the local community.....this proposal has raised apprehensions with many elderly people, families and vulnerable service users,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
Mr Poots, the Assembly speaker, has written a letter to the trust chief executive outlining opposition to this proposal, he added.
