A worried Kilwinning man who suffers from a heart condition has been waiting more than two years for a doctor’s appointment.
Legendary marathon man Michael Kirkum - who has run the Boston and London events - was asked to call for a review at the practice in Almswall Road in late 2020 but he is still waiting.
The dad of 10 said: “I’ve been waiting for an appointment for two years.
"I have a heart condition - angina and have stents fitted in.
“You can’t even get a doctor’s appointment. It’s all nurses seeing patients. You don’t get into the practice. I’ve not seen a doctor for two years.
"It’s a big issue everywhere.
“The whole system is down. It’s same issue across the health board nationally.
“The practice told me it was crucial to get a review at an appointment, but I still can't get an appointment with a doctor. It worries me but what can I do about it.
“I haven’t even had any repeat medication for my illness.
“The system is well gone, and a lot of people are suffering and can’t get an appointment although they tell you they are available.
There’s no point in phoning as there are no appointments but I will keep trying.
“I do a lot of running and walking - that’s probably why I keep going.”
Craig McArthur, director of East Ayrshire Health and Social Partnership and Primary Care Lead for Ayrshire said: “NHS Ayrshire & Arran takes all patient feedback, comments, concerns or complaints very seriously. We are sorry that a patient’s family has felt they had to raise concerns about the care provided. However, we are unable to comment on individual cases.
“We would encourage anyone who is unhappy with our services to contact us directly with any concerns they have.
"This is the only way that we can properly involve patients and families in the process and provide feedback.”
Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
