Dr Barney Williams with a pile of post at his surgeryGAZETTE & HERALD: Patients loyal to sacked GP Dr Barney Williams have been told they face exclusion from NHS treatment if they continue to see him.

Dr Williams, who lost his contract to practise as an NHS GP last month following a dispute over out-of-hours cover, is now running his Marshfield Road Surgery, in Chippenham, as a private healthcare provider.

About 250 patients on his 3,500-strong list have refused to allow the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust to transfer their records to any other surgery.

Maureen Jenner-Jones, of Long Close, Chippenham, is one of Dr Williams's stalwart supporters. She was shocked to receive a letter warning she could be excluded from NHS treatment if she did not sign up with another practice.

"I wrote a letter saying my records were not to go to Hathaway or any other surgery," she said. "On Saturday I received a letter saying I would have to sign up with Hathaway or another surgery or I would not be able to use NHS facilities.

"To be honest I thought it was diabolical. I can't see that they can dictate to us what we should do."

Mrs Jenner-Jones, her husband Michael and father Arthur are all patients with Dr Williams. Mrs Jenner-Jones said as her father is 82 and suffers from diabetes and asbestosis, they might have to yield his notes to make sure he has access to proper care and medication.

But she was angry about the PCT's tactics. "They thought people would go along quietly, being shipped off to Hathaway," she said.

"My husband and I will hold out until Dr Williams is reinstated."

Dr Williams said he had spoken to a number of patients who had received the letters and many were very alarmed by the threat of the removal of their right to NHS services including a pregnant mother who was afraid she would not be able to see a midwife.

"A lot of people, especially those with young children, or elderly people, will be very apprehensive about this," he said.

The letter gives the patients various options to join Hathaway, to register with another doctor, or to continue seeing Dr Williams privately, though they would not be able to access NHS services.

"I think it is their intention to discourage people from seeing me," said Dr Williams.

"I've seen one 81-year-old lady who is very alarmed and one mother in tears because she was worried about her children's treatment."

Cedric Norton, chairman of the Friends of Marshfield Surgery, also received a copy of the letter and said he did not like it at all. "There are people who are really scared about it," he said.

Mr Norton and two other members of the Friends met with acting chief executive of the PCT Stephen Golledge on Monday to continue a dialogue about the future of the surgery.

Mr Norton also handed over a collection of medical mail which has been accumulating at Marshfield Road Surgery, including consultants' letters and test results.

Dr Williams has been in dispute with the PCT about the arrangements for the collection of the mail after a daily visit to collect it stopped recently.

The PCT said it gave him envelopes and stamps to send them on. But practice manager Avril Williams said she was concerned about confidentiality and did not feel they should be doing administration duties for the PCT.