A health practice suspended routine appointments due to staff absences.

Meon Health Practice – which provides primary care services to patients registered in Whiteley, Fareham, and Titchfield – announced on Wednesday that it would be closed until Monday.

The health practice’s website said that due to clinical absences and “extremely high levels of patient demand,” routine appointments would be suspended for the rest of the week and would not operate as normal until 11am on Monday.

Claire Buckle, 41, visited Whiteley Surgery on Wednesday to try and arrange a face-to-face appointment with a GP for her 10-year-old daughter, Jessica, who is suffering from a kidney infection.

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However, Claire was told the surgery wouldn’t be facilitating routine appointments in-person until the following week.

Speaking to the Echo, Claire said: “They were open as normal, so I just walked in but got turned away.

“My daughter has been suffering with a kidney infection for the last five years and a consultant at Southampton General Hospital advised we seek a face-to-face consultation at the surgery as the antibiotics she’s been prescribed have become resistant and affecting her health.

“We’ve just had no luck at the surgery, and we can’t be the only one’s affected.

“It doesn’t seem very good telling people – some of whom will be elderly – that they can’t be seen by a doctor. People can’t get appointments.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for Meon Health Practice said: “Unfortunately, due to unexpected staff shortages and an increased level of patient demand, Meon Health Practice is having to prioritise those of our patients with urgent medical concerns. 

“As a result, we are unable to allocate appointments for routine medical issues at present. 

“All patients who had pre-existing routine appointments with us will be consulted as planned, unless they are individually contacted to reschedule their appointment. 

“The practice remains open as usual, and we plan to recommence new routine appointment requests from 11am on Monday, December 2.

“If any of our patients have an urgent medical problem, or are not sure whether their problem is urgent, then please contact the surgery during our normal opening hours where your request will be triaged in the normal way.”