Patients face upheaval at plans to shut their surgery (From Echo)

Patients face upheaval at plans to shut their surgery

4:20pm Friday 3rd September 2010 in

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A GP surgery which serves 1,300 people is set to close.

The Globe Surgery, in Preston Road, Westcliff, wants patients’ views on its future.

The practice is run by Community Health Care, part of South East Essex primary care trust, but it wants to close the site from April next year because major building work is needed to bring it up to standard.

The other options being presented to patients are a new contractor is found to run the surgery or services are moved to different premises and run by a new contractor.

The news is expected to put pressure on surrounding practices as people try to sign up with another doctor.

Ian Stidston, temporary director of primary and community care at the trust, said: “It is important patients receive GP services that meet their needs, so their opinions are very important to us.

“Patients will shortly receive a document asking for their views on three proposed options.

“We hope those who receive the document take this opportunity to have their say.”

The Globe Surgery was set up in 2003 to provide GP services to the growing number of homeless people and asylum seekers in the Southend area.

Now its remit has changed with just three per cent of its patients being homeless.

However, a quarter of patients are Polish and another quarter are care home residents.

Jadzia Haughton, who works as a Polish translator in Southend, said the patients would benefit from better facilities, but feared the disruption closing the clinic would cause.

She said: “This surgery is very neglected. It has a tiny waiting room with nothing for children to do.

“It was set up as an international surgery with Polish people who came over in 2004 recommended to register there. It will be better for some as they can move to a surgery nearer where they live, but it will cause disruption.

“It would be better if they could be transferred.”

The public consultation closes on December 10. To obtain a copy, call Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 01702 224629.