ON the day that the Grimm Reaper parked his juggernaut in Witney and locked the doors of Deer Park Medical Centre against the wishes of the patients the front page of the Oxford Mail announced, “The Doctor Won’t See You Now.” How very true.

The plans agreed by Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG) include no “automatic right to see a doctor, a limit of 13 appointments per day of 15 minutes duration for GP’s (that’s 3 hours 15 minutes per day).

So we are now being offered part time medical care. On that basis it’s no wonder the OCCG is telling the population of Oxfordshire to “self-care” and manage their own conditions because on the OCCG clock there is no time available for patients.

Question: Who did the OCCG agree these plans with?

Answer: On past custom and practice.. Themselves.

Once again the OCCG has made decisions without consultation, due care or diligence and complete indifference to the people of Oxfordshire.
It comes as no surprise that these changes are being decided by the OCCG and no doubt will be put in place before the phase two of the STP plan consultation. 

This is an unelected body that is taking a surgical knife to the health service in Oxfordshire and it is about time our elected representatives stand up and take this body to task.

Please do it before there are fatalities.

MARK R CHURCHILL
Wenman Road, Witney