Special Council meeting on Racecourse Medical

The proposed closure of the Racecourse Medical practice in Shantallow Health Centre is to be discussed at a special meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council.

Aontú Ballyarnett councillor, Emmet Doyle, secured the Special Council meeting to discuss the need to stabilise the under-threat practice.

Cllr Doyle said: "The support for the practice, its patients and staff is from across the political spectrum and that is only right. If this practice is not stabilised then patients could be scattered to the wind given the pressure other practices are under.

Additional Reading

Racecourse Medical closure could spark city-wide crisis in GP access

Racecourse Medical has a patient list of 4,821

Cross party support for Save Our Surgery rally

'GP services must continue to run in the heart of Shantallow' - Cllr Brian Tierney

"Today at Council I proposed a Special Council meeting to hear from specific responsible individuals in the Department of Health, local GP leaders and representatives of all the staff in the practice.

"The recent rally I organised at the centre was well attended by stakeholders, residents and political leaders and shows the strength of feeling not just in the area but across the city because there are patients served by this practice that live in other areas.

"I’ll continue to work with all involved to do everything we can to support the practice and to demand that the Department of Health act immediately.”