Spalding's Pennygate Health Centre: MP to go to Secretary of State as defiant health body insists it will move surgery
MP John Hayes is going to the Secretary of State in a bid to stop a health body defying patients' wishes by moving their GP services.
Patients packed a pubic meeting at Spalding's Pennygate Foundation to tell South Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) that they wanted to stay at Pennygate Health Centre.
The meeting heard Dr Azmeena Nathu, who is retiring, had offered her surgery free to the CCG until the end of March.
More than 1,400 people signed a petition to say they wanted a surgery on their doorstep.
On Friday, after hearing that the CCG is to press ahead regardless with its plan to open a 'replacement' surgery at Johnson Community Hospital, Mr Hayes said he will make sure Health Secretary Matt Hancock is aware of patients' wishes.
Mr Hayes said: "I am absolutely determined that the interests of the patients are put first in all of this as I am not sure they are adequately being served by the proposals currently in place."
He said Mr Hancock will see a summary of the meeting, signed by himself and independent chairman Andy Bunce, which calls for Pennygate's closure to be delayed until at least March "while reconsideration and consultation is carried out."
District councillor Angela Newton has written to CCG chief operating officer Andrew Rix to say thousands of new homes will be built in the area around Pennygate, and it's likely a developer will one day pay for a new surgery.
Coun Newton says: "We don't need less facilities this side of town, we need more. Why can't you keep Pennygate surgery open until a larger, purpose-build medical one-stop centre can be built at the expense of a builder."
Only four days after the public meeting, the CCG said: "The CCG has carefully considered its decision to move the GP Services from Pennygate Surgery to the Johnson Hospital, and we appreciate that this change may cause some concern for patients at the practice. Unfortunately, given a number of contractual issues, it is not practical to continue to provide services from the current premises.
"We would like to reassure patients that we remain committed to ensuring that high quality safe care continues to be provided to those patients who are currently registered at the Pennygate Surgery. As a result of the changes we are keen to hear patients' concerns and views, and have arranged for a series of Q&A drop-in sessions to be held at Pennygate Health Centre:
Tuesday 4 September, 10am-12pm
Wednesday 5 September, 4pm-6pm
Thursday 6 September, 2pm-4pm
Friday 7 September, 10am-12pm
"Once we have established the service at the Johnson Hospital we will undertake a full consultation exercise with those registered patients to ensure we provide an easily accessible service locally."
* The letter from Mr Bunce, also signed by Mr Hayes, is addressed to Andrew Rix, the chief operating officer at the CCG.
It reads:
Dear Mr Rix,
I write on behalf of the people who attended today's meeting, together with our local MP the Rt Hon John Hayes, and several local councillors.
We are certain that the volume of people attending and the strength of feeling against the closure of the centre must have made a profound impression.
We would like to express our thanks to you for taking the time to attend and listen.
The following points were brought up at the meeting:
1) Many patients at Pennygate would face great difficulty travelling to Johnson Hospital.
Parking is already inadequate, there is no bus service, and the costs involved for patients would be considerable.
2) The location of the proposed change is unsuitable, if Pennygate closes there will be no
doctor's surgery within easy reach for the whole of this side of town.
3) With major housing redevelopment already underway, and more proposed, demand for
medical services will increase considerably in this part of town.
4) The suggestion of registering with another local practice is unworkable, as the existing
practices are at, or near, capacity (reference average waiting times for doctor's appointments).
5) There is no Pharmacy at Johnson Hospital, causing further difficulty and expense for
patients, currently prescriptions cannot be delivered electronically for home delivery.
6) The costs involved in this move are no doubt considerable and, since Dr Nathu has offered
the Health Centre free of rent until March, - this is surely a cheaper option than the proposed move? (at least until March 2019).
7) The patients at Pennygate are frankly astounded that a decision such as this can be
railroaded through without prior notice and without consultation. It is too late to suggest that consultation will be held after the proposed September closure.
Patients expressed thanks to The Rt. Hon. John Hayes for his strong support of our cause.
The Centre is due to close in 3 weeks time and leaves little time to formulate an alternative solution.
We would like to record that the vast majority of attendees hold Dr Nathu in the highest esteem.
We therefore strongly request that the closure is delayed until at least March, while reconsideration and consultation is carried out.
It is difficult to see how this decision has been made, as it does not appear logical nor in patient's best interests. Since the Committee's brief is to put patients first, we ask you give careful urgent consideration to our proposal to delay closure, and in any event prior to the 8th September.
