June 17, 2014 9.56 am This story is over 117 months old

Lincoln politicians speak out against surgery closure

Closure concerns: Lincoln’s MP and a ward councillor are opposing plans to close a city GP surgery which serves nearly 3,000 residents.
Burton Road Surgery. Photo: Google Street View

Politicians in Lincoln expressed concerns over the planned closure of a GP surgery in uphill Lincoln.

As previously reported, Burton Road Surgery on Burton Road will close in September.

According to NHS England, this is due to having a number of other surgeries in the area, and that small surgeries like Burton Road are “struggling to meet the challenges facing modern day surgeries”.

Lincoln MP Karl McCartney is registered at the Burton Road surgery, and has been meeting with officials at NHS England to voice his concerns.

He said: “I share the great concern locally at NHS England’s recently announced proposal to close our GP surgery at 181, Burton Road in Lincoln on 30 September 2014, not least because the doctors, nurses and staff at this surgery – which I, my family, and circa 2,700 of my city of Lincoln constituents are registered at – have provided us all with first class healthcare for many years.

“I have already met with (and will be meeting again) and have written on a number of occasions to Judy Patrick, the Medical and Pharmacy Contracts Manager, and Di Pegg, the Regional Head of Primary Care of NHS England, to impress on them the need to continue to support Burton Road surgery.

“I have also made representations to the Secretary of State for Health, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, and other Ministers at the Department of Health so that they are in no doubt as to the level of both my and local people’s concern in this matter.

“I shall do everything I can as the local Member of Parliament for the City to ensure that we continue to receive the best level of health service provision in Lincoln that we deserve.”

Castle Ward councillor and deputy leader of the City of Lincoln Council Donald Nannestad has also sent a letter to NHS England opposing the decision.

He has highlighted a number of issues in the letter to Dr David Sharp, Area Director for NHS England (Leicestershire and Lincolnshire Area), such as the criteria used to justify the closure and guidelines used to make the decision.

Councillor Nannestad said: “It is disappointing that the council has no record of either being informed of the closure or being consulted.

“Some of my constituents have raised serious concerns about the way the closure announcement has been handled so far and are concerned about the level of consultation being carried out.

“The closure affects nearly 3,000 residents and patients deserve a full and transparent explanation for the decision.

“While there have been changes to funding for GP surgeries brought in this year, it is important that much-needed and vital practices remain open.”