PATIENTS fear the jobs of GPs at Botley Medical Centre could be under threat after questions were raised over its prescriptions policy.

A petition has been launched by patients backing local GPs and demanding an end to any moves to replace “our doctors with complete strangers”.

But the GPs at the health centre and Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust say people’s concerns are totally misplaced and there are no plans to scrap existing GP services for people living in Botley, Wootton and Dry Sandford.

The PCT said it was now working with the medical centre to resolve problems that had arisen relating to prescriptions.

The Oxford Mail has been unable to track down the source of the petition, but it is understood to have been started by local patients.

Details about it were set out in the Cumnor Magazine, which said: “A petition has been circulating locally which suggests the PCT plans to replace doctors at Botley Medical Centre and asks people to support the current doctors.”

The petition, widely circulated in Botley, said: “There is a real possibility the PCT will soon replace our doctors with complete strangers.”

In a statement, the PCT said: “There are no plans to cease GP services for the people of Botley, Wootton and Dry Sandford.”

It added: “The PCT has a duty to highlight any areas where improvement is needed in any practice.

“In the case of Botley Medical Centre, the PCT has recently written to the practice to ask them to address certain issues such as repeat prescribing – and an action plan has now been designed for the practice to improve their processes.”

Jenny Shepherd, Vale of White Horse district councillor for Botley, said she understood that there had been problems with patients getting prescriptions via the online system.

Dr John Chadwick, one of the three GPs at the health centre, said: “I have no idea where the story came from.

“The PCT has been most helpful with the support that we have been receiving.”