Patients and councillors back bid to save King's Lynn doctors' surgery

A campaign has been launched to save a Lynn medical practice from potential closure.

Patients’ representatives and community leaders say they fear the Fairstead Surgery is being run down by its management and is already putting more pressure on the nearby Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Vida Healthcare, the company which runs the surgery, yesterday said it was working with local health commissioners to launch its own public consultation on the site’s future, after previous proposals for services there fell through.

But local borough councillor Gary Howman thinks that will be the start of a “phased closure” of the surgery.

He said: “To reduce or close this vital community asset would be a disaster.”

Although there has been long-standing concern about the provision of health services in the area, patients’ representatives say they have launched their campaign now after several rooms in the Centrepoint building were taken out of clinical use.

Documents which the Lynn News has seen showed Vida Healthcare bosses did not believe a full closure was necessary at this stage.

But they added: “There is an overall risk associated with the whole premises which has to be noted. Certain parts of the building are a bigger risk than others.”

In a joint statement with the West Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), released yesterday, Vida Healthcare said it had been “working closely with the CCG with regards to the best way to deliver care for all its King’s Lynn patients in safe and appropriate premises.”

The statement continues: “The Fairstead site was declared non compliant with the CQC in 2012.

“Various options for Fairstead have been considered over the last 10-15 years none of which have so far been able to be taken forward.

“The providers of GP services routinely undertake assessments of their premises to maintain safety for both patients and staff and it is expected that they should take the appropriate action based on their findings and the position at the time.

“This would not necessarily involve any public involvement.”

“In the light of the history of the site and the current position Vida Healthcare is working with commissioners on taking forward a public consultation and further details will be available in due course."

But campaigners say they have repeatedly raised concerns about Vida’s management of the practice over the past two years, without receiving any answers about its future.

PPG chairman Glyn Watkins said they want the existing surgery to be extended so that it can meet the needs of the estimated 4,000 patients who are thought to be registered there.

Although Vida runs two other surgeries in Lynn, he says some patients have already told him they are going to the accident and emergency department at the nearby Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment rather going to either the Gayton Road Health Centre or the St Augustine’s surgery in North Lynn.

And he said he was “absolutely livid” at Vida’s approach.

He said: “I am furious at their refusal to communicate with us.”

Margaret Wilkinson, who is one of two West Norfolk councillors for the Fairstead ward, added: “People are saying they’re going to go to A&E. It’s going to be impossible.”

Mr Howman said Vida and the CCG both should have done more to reassure the public.

He said: “Vida Healthcare have not been the best communicators so far. Their failure to engage with the Fairstead PPG, who have made repeated efforts to contact them, is shameful.

“The CCG also need to be more forthcoming. As a ward councillor, I asked them back in July 2017 to keep me informed of any developments but have heard precisely nothing.”

West Norfolk Council leader Brian Long has previously given assurances that they would help to provide a new surgery on Fairstead if plans were agreed for one.

Yesterday, he met campaigners and the ward councillors to lend his backing to the fight and warned it would be “a real backward step” if the surgery closed.

He added: “All we can do is make the case for why there needs to be a doctor’s surgery on the estate.

“There’s a lot of wasted space in the building. There is room for it if the will is there.”