The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Question and answer sessions are being held this week as patients prepare for the closure of Pennygate Surgery on Friday, September 7.
South Lincolnshire Care Commission Group (CCG) is closing the practice after its general practitioner, Dr Azmeena Nathu, announced her retirement.
Residents have called for the service to remain open after it was revealed Dr Nathu, who owns the building, had offered to allow the CCG to use it rent free for a period.
The CCG itself claimed the offer had not been made formally, but Dr Nathu has
told The Voice a formal offer over the letting of the premises has now been sent.
She said in a statement: “I can confirm a formal offer for the use of the premises has been made.
“It has been done in the best interests of my patients who are elderly, infirm, disabled, have young family and many of whom are without transport.”
The CCG says the decision to move the practice was taken on June 28 while the formal offer to lease the property was made on August 28, though it’s been claimed the initial comment on leasing the building was made before the decision date.
A 90-day consultation on the surgery’s future is due to begin in the next few months while a final decision on the future of the surgery would not take place until early 2019.
Many patients have expressed concerns over transport links to the Johnson Hospital and car parking space there.
Petitions have been collected and South Holland and the Deepings MP John Hayes previously said he would speak to the secretary of state about the move.
In a bid to ease concerns about the move, the CCG has laid on question and answer sessions involving representatives of the CCG throughout this week to answer questions.
After one was due to be held yesterday evening (Wednesday, September 5, 4pm-6pm) further sessions are being held today 2pm-4pm and tomorrow 10am- noon.
Pennygate Surgery was the subject of a damning Care Quality Commission (CQC) report at the beginning of the year, and a subsequent update said that improvements in some areas at the practice had yet to be made.
