The death knell has sounded for Burghead and Hopeman GP surgeries.
No formal decision was taken by Moray Integration Joint Board (IJB) to permanently close the branch centres at a meeting on January 26.
But they will not reopen.
Moray IJB had been asked to shut them both for good in an initial report.
An amendment to the recommendations agreed by the board focuses on providing digital health options in the communities.
Ignored
A sustainable transport solution so patients can get to appointments in Lossiemouth will also be developed.
The two surgeries were run by Moray Coast Medical Practice in Lossiemouth.
However the practice is not prepared to staff the centres in Burghead and Hopeman over concerns for staff safety and the unsuitability of the buildings.
Some Moray councillors who are members of the IJB are unhappy with situation.
Elgin South member Peter Bloomfield felt the views of residents were being ignored, and raised concerns over additional pressures on health centres in Elgin.
But chairman Dennis Robertson reminded councillors their position as board members was different to their elected member duties.
Councillor for Elgin South John Divers told the meeting he had a dual role to the IJB and to constituents.
He said: “There’s a lot more work to be done here.
“I can’t say I’m happy at all.”
Vice chairwoman of the IJB councillor Tracy Colyer felt the Lossiemouth practice should have made it clear earlier it would not staff the branch surgeries.
She said: “A lot of these issues, transport and digital health, could have been addressed much sooner.
“We would have been further down that road.
“That could have mitigated some of the angst in communities.”
‘I can’t say I’m happy at all’
Speaking after the meeting Mrs Colyer said: “I hope these measures are progressed in a timely fashion for everybody’s benefit.
“And to assure people who don’t have their own transport we will find solutions for them.”
Mr Bloomfield felt no attention had been paid to the views of residents.
He said: “What exasperates me is there was a consultation and 75% expressed the wish they didn’t want the surgeries to close.
75% against closures
“And 84% for Burghead and 82% for Hopeman felt the closures would have a negative impact on their communities.
“To me that has been ignored.
“Maryhill is at capacity and not taking any extra patients from the catchment area.
“Bear in mind Duffus, Burghead, Cummingston and Hopeman are all in that catchment area.”
Councillor Scott Lawrence felt there was an opportunity to look at developing health care provision for patients in areas impacted.
Burghead and Hopeman branch surgeries were closed at the beginning of the Covid pandemic because they failed to comply with health care standards.
An offer to upgrade the branch surgeries by owners has not been taken up.
More then 650 people responded to the consultation carried out by Health and Social Care Moray.
A total of 75% said they were against shutting the branch centres for good.
Pressure on Maryhill health centre
A £170,000 refurbishment of the Laich Dental Suite in the Lossiemouth health centre is proposed to deal with the extra patients from the coastal communities.
The practice has around 10,200 patients.
There is no direct bus service to Lossiemouth from Burghead.
A round trip can take three hours with patients having to go via Elgin.
Although people from Burghead and Hopeman can register with the Maryhill practice in Elgin, it is at capacity.
Three hour round trip for Burghead patients
And 37% of patients from the coastal communities are already registered with the Elgin practice.
An equalities assessment on the closures found there was no information on whether the Lossiemouth practice had capacity to staff the branch centres.
Also, there was no data on the type of patients using the Burghead or Hopeman surgeries.
Conversation