Patients vow to save 'sacked' GP

Dr Williams would not work out of hours

A row over the working hours of a Chippenham GP came to a head on Thursday when his patients were told he would no longer be able to treat them.

Dr Barney Williams has been effectively sacked by the Primary Care Trust (PCT) because he refuses to work out of hours.

More than 3,500 patients have vowed to take the matter to the High Court to keep their GP.

From next Monday his patients will be treated at the nearby Hathaway surgery.

A closure notice on the Marshfield Road Surgery was issued in March 2003 after Dr Williams said providing out-of-hours service was too much for him.

"It's heartbreaking", said patient Dawn Donald.

"You go in and everybody knows your name, it's that friendly.

"It's a country practice in a town."

Some of the patients have already started a legal fund and plan to take the PCT to court.

However, the acting joint chief executive of Kennet and North Wiltshire PCT, told the BBC that it had the legal right to shut the practice down.

"What's really brought this to a head is that we've had an independent judgement that says that the primary care trust should close the practice," said Stephen Golledge.

Dr Williams's patients have been reassured that there will be no drop in the service they receive because of the transfer.

"There will be a short term hiatus for any practice in these circumstances but that doesn't mean that the services to either existing patients or patients transferred temporarily will suffer," said Dr Peter Swinyard, of the British Medical Association.