A MEDICAL centre with more than 1,400 patients on its books may be closed because health chiefs cannot secure a five-year lease.

Fairway Medical Centre, in Leigh, has been run with locum doctors since 2004 when its owner and resident GP, Dr Harish Doshi, was suspended by South East Essex PCT.

The surgery has been managed by the trust since July last year and talks had been taking place with the landowners, Dr Doshi and his partner, to get a five-year deal to run the surgery.

But Dr Doshi and his partner have only offered a one-year rolling deal and with a dwindling patient list, health bosses say they need to act.

Two options will now be put before the trust’s board on Thursday.

The first is to close Fairway with patients registering with surrounding practices. The second option is to allow another surgery to take Fairway on as a branch surgery.

Andrew Pike, chief executive of the trust, said: “We are aware most patients would prefer Fairway to remain open.

“However, we need to ensure any service provided there is stable and long-term.

“It is extremely disappointing we have not been able to agree a five-year lease for the premises as this is the minimum we would need to secure a full-time GP practice for Fairway.

“We now have only two choices, and it is up to the board to decide which is in the best interests of patients and the NHS.”

Patients registered at the practice have been given the chance to take part in a consultation and their views are being reported to the board.

Concerns expressed include continuity of care due to the high turnover of locums.

Some patients are worried about moving to other practices and how convenient and accessible they are as well as how easy or difficult it may be to get an appointment.

Also public transport links and car parking were areas of concern.

The running costs of the practice with its locum doctors for 2008/2009 will be £305,000.

The primary care trust says the cost of running the service on a rolling one-year contract would equate to £200 per patient per year, more than two–and–half–times the average cost in normal circumstances.

If the Fairway Medical Centre was to remain in operation the trust would also need to fund work to bring the surgery to Disability Discrimination Act standards and this would be a one-off cost of £25,000 Due to these issues NHS South East Essex believes it is not a viable option and recommended Fairway be closed by the trust.

Dr Doshi is currently going through a General Medical Council hearing where he is accused of inappropriate and sexual behaviour towards nine women patients.

He has denied the allegations.