A YORK GP practice has this afternoon apologised for causing confusion and distress after telling patients it would not be offering routine appointments for almost a month - because it was moving to a new IT system.

Unity Health, which has two York surgeries - Kimberlow Hill near the University of York and Wenlock Terrace off Fulford Road - sent patients a short message yesterday telling them: "We are moving to a new IT system at the beginning of August. No appointments will be available from now until 17th August for all clinicians unless it’s an acute medical problem.

"Please call from this date onwards if you require a routine appointment."

Patients were outraged by the annoucement, with one saying they were 'appalled and incredulous' and another saying it was 'shocking,' while a senior York councillor said it was 'simply unacceptable' and a York MP said 'rationing health care has been taken to a new level.'

But this afternoon, managing partner Lou Johnston thanked The Press for bringing the matter to her attention and said she had reviewed the communication sent to patients. 

"Unity Health patients are being sent amended communication today, as we realise on reflection the message previously sent was misleading," she said.

"We sincerely apologise to all our patients for any confusion and distressed that has been caused, that was never our intention."

In the new message to patients, the practice says it will be 'striving to maintain our usual high standard of care to patients while it moves to a new IT system. "Our clinicians will be available for all our patients as normal and will be working hard to minimise disruption to patient care during this time," it says.

"We are sorry for any confusion or distress our previous correspondence may have caused you, this was not our intention."

Before the U-turn, one patient said they were a type 1 diabetic and relied on regular reviews and support from the clinical team at Unity. 

They said: “To be advised, without any prior notice, that routine access is not available for a whole month is shocking, and I’m sure there are many patients with far greater need for ongoing medical care than me.”

Local resident Andrew Mortimer said: “It’s really worrying to not be able to have any access to my GP for nearly a month."

Another patient, Catherine Turnbull, said that when she received the message, she was 'appalled, incredulous and very concerned for all patients who rely on local primary care services.'

She said: "Putting routine access to 'all clinicians' on hold for four weeks, as Unity Health has, risks missing potentially lifesaving reviews and examinations and those that are essential to maintaining good health."

Cllr Nigel Ayre,executive member with responsibility for health integration at City of York Council, said: “It’s simply unacceptable that vulnerable residents with long term conditions will now face weeks of no access to vital medical support or medication reviews.

“I will be urgently contacting representatives of Unity Health and raising the matter at a meeting of the Health and Care Alliance on Monday, to see if anything can be done to retain access to crucial primary care for thousands of York residents.”

York Central MP Rachael Maskell told The Press: “Rationing health care has been taken to a new level. We know that the NHS is absolutely on its knees, GPs and practice staff do not have a moment to draw breath, and patients are waiting longer and longer to receive the care they need."