I SAW in the issue of the Gazette dated September 26 a letter by Wayne Hobson, from Jaywick, complaining about the terrible service he is receiving from Anglian Community Enterprise (ACE) over his local surgery.

I came under the catchment area of Caradoc Surgery and since ACE took it over three years ago, until its contract was cancelled on the August 31, the letters page of the Gazette had complaints several times a month over the unacceptable delays of up to two hours by patients trying to get through to the hub and then a care navigator to try and get a doctor’s appointment.

Our local Patient Participating Group (PPG), patients and myself then set about a campaign of writing letters of complaints to the surgery, ACE, our local MP and the North East Essex Care Commissioning Group (CCG) setting out our grievances.

Some patients, including myself attended some CCG meetings held every three months, where we expressed our complaints.

On one such meeting, ACE gave a presentation to the CCG board.

I then stood up and started to ask questions complaining about how ACE was running Caradoc and the other surgeries.

The chief executive of ACE then asked if I would have a face to face meeting with her and two other members from ACE. Naturally, I agreed.

I later attended a meeting and presented them with several pages of complaints and my recommendations to improve things.

I attended a second meeting and had telephone conversations and email messages but the bottom line was they ignored all my complaints and did not take up any of my recommendations.

I had to continually pressure them to make an announcement in the Gazette about “out of hours” service for ACE patients at Clacton Hospital.

It was when I attended the CCG meeting on July 30 to make further complaints that I learned ACE’s contract for Caradoc Surgery was to be cancelled as from September 1.

Since Ranworth Surgery took over the running of Caradoc Surgery the service provided could not be better.

I have no complaints myself although I believe there have been one or two minor hiccups.

I equate the service at Caradoc as the same as I was receiving at Chigwell before I moved to Frinton ten years ago.

All I will say to Mr Hobson and all the other patients at ACE run surgeries, is don’t give up, get your own PPG to make complaints and make complaints yourself to all the bodies mentioned above.

However, most importantly, attend the CCG meetings and voice your complaints, I can assure you they listen and are watching ACE’s performance at its surgeries in Clacton.

The next meeting is on December 3 at 2pm at the Ash and Elm Room, Aspen House, Stephenson Road, Colchester.

If you want further information then contact me on michael.carter@coppicegreen.com.

Mick Carter

Frinton