Spalding GP Surgery will be axed - and patients sent to Munro, Beechfield or Gosberton

NHS bosses have now decided that the GP surgery at the Johnson Hospital will be axed after all.

Patients at Spalding GP Surgery will be sent to one of the Munro, Beechfield or Gosberton medical centres - despite having told a consultation that they were happy with the service at the hospital and airing concerns over the quality of care and access at Spalding's other practices.

The hospital facility was placed under threat when the arm of the NHS that ran it - Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) - decided it no longer wanted to run the service.

Last year bosses said that Gosberton Medical Centre's management team would look to carry on running services from the hospital - but that has now been ditched.

A statement from NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) - the body responsible for arranging for the provision of health services in the county - said 'following further feedback and in-depth discussion with patients and their representatives' that sending patients to other sites was seen as the 'best outcome'. It's not clear what this feedback was.

Patients of Spalding GP Surgery will be sent a letter in the coming weeks confirming which practice they will be sent to and when.

It is promised that the letter will spell out what happens next and what to do if patients do not wish to go with the practice they are given.

Bosses previously said that the popular 3,000-patient practice at the Johnson was 'too small' to maintain.

Health chiefs have now said 'most patients' will be transferred to one of the following practices:

*Munro Medical Centre, in West Elloe Avenue, Spalding. It has also been revealed that the practice intends to reopen their premises on Church Walk in Pinchbeck this month.

*Beechfield Medical Centre, in Beechfield Gardens in Spalding. Leaders say the practice intends to open an additional branch premises in the former Pennygate Surgery - with bosses now saying this could be ready next month.

*Gosberton Medical Centre, in Low Gate, Gosberton.

Beechfield was one of a number of practices in our area to score lowly in a patient survey last year.

Sarah-Jane Mills, director for primary care, communities and social values at NHS Lincolnshire ICB, said: “We appreciate that the process to register patients from Spalding GP Surgery to an alternative GP Practice has taken longer than planned and we thank you everyone involved for their patience.

“Our decision reflects our commitment to addressing the issues raised so that we can be confident that the service best meets patients’ needs both now and in the future.

“This has been a complex process and we have really valued the feedback from patients and their representatives. We take our duty towards patient care very seriously and need to ensure we have been as thorough as possible to provide the best outcome for patients.”

Patients at Spalding GP Surgery are being told to continue to access services at Johnson Community Hospital as normal. It is planned for the transfer to take place in a 'phased approach' starting in February.

Two patient drop in events will be held in January where ICB representatives will be on hand to try to explain the situation.

These events are on:

*January 19, 2-4pm, Meeting Room 124, Johnson Hospital, Spalding Road, Pinchbeck

*January 26, 2-4pm, Meeting Room 124, Johnson Hospital, Spalding Road, Pinchbeck