Bridge of Weir Councillor James Maclaren has slammed a decision to remove treatment services from a medical centre in Bridge of Weir.
The Scottish Conservative and Unionist councillor claims he has been contacted by residents who have complained about the removal of a treatment room at Strathgryffe Medical Centre on Kilmacolm Road.
The room is used for patients who require regular injections such as B12, or dressings and medications which have to be administered by a nurse.
Patients in this position have now been told they will have to travel to Linwood Health Centre for appointments.
Councillor MacLaren is calling for an urgent re-think of the “centralisation” of the key service from Renfrewshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership.
He says it will have a huge “detrimental impact” on elderly and vulnerable patients, and especially those who do not drive, given the poor public transport provision in the area.
Councillor MacLaren added that he foresees a similar situation to the one when Bridge of Weir residents had to travel to St Mirren Football Ground in Paisley for flu jabs.
James MacLaren, councillor for Bishopton, Bridge of Weir and Langbank, said: “The decision to remove these treatments from the medical centre in Bridge of Weir is completely misguided.
“Local residents who require regular injections or other treatments are understandably angry at now being forced to travel to Linwood to do so.
“I share their anger. This centralisation of services is completely wrong and local health board chiefs must urgently re-think this decision.
“This will have a detrimental impact on elderly and vulnerable patients in Bridge of Weir in particular. For those who don’t drive, it will have an even greater impact and may put them off going for appointments, which is deeply concerning.
“The engagement with patients over this decision has clearly not been good enough, given the reaction from local residents.
“Bridge of Weir residents should have access to these sort of appointments at Strathgryffe Medical Centre and I will continue to fight for that to be the case moving forward.”
Photo Credit: Google Earth (from 2009)