News
Council backs threatened Mossley surgery
A council scrutiny committee has offered some hope to over 3,000 worried patients facing the closure of a Bloxwich GP surgery. Walsall Council’s health scrutiny panel has recommended keeping a GP surgery in the Mossley and Dudley Fields areas of Bloxwich open.
Married GP’s Abdul and Rifat Ghaffar, who own the Abbey Square Surgery have announced that they will retire on March 31. A third GP, Dr Saema Saleem, is also leaving the practice. As a result, NHS Walsall has decided to review the future of GP services in the area and have embarked on a consultation process with local residents regarding the possible closure of Abbey Square and transferring patients to the Pinfold Street Health Centre.
In a move that is likely to cause conflict between the council and NHS Walsall, members of the health scrutiny and performance panel voted unanimously to keep GP services at Abbey Square Surgery. Following the meeting, panel member Councillor Ian Robertson (Lab: Blakenall) said: “Tonight’s turnout of patients is a good show of democracy. It’s important that the surgery remains where it is.”
Councillor Melvin Pitt (Con: Bloxwich West) said: “The scrutiny panel says it should stay. I’m sure the patients will say it should stay. It appears people are saying they want it, the question is whether the PCT will listen to the consultation.”
Councillor Clive Ault (Con: Pelsall), health scrutiny and performance panel chairman said: “At the recent local neighbourhood partnership meeting in Blakenall, it was very clear that the people living in the Mossley and Dudley Fields estates want their own doctor. They don’t want to travel to Pinfold Health Centre. Tonight, this desire has been reaffirmed and the panel recommends that the surgery should continue from Abbey Square.”
The consultation continues until Friday 23 April and people can email their views toconsultations@walsall.nhs.uk or contact NHS Walsall on 01922 618358 to discuss them. It is anticipated that NHS Walsall will make a final decision on the future of the surgery in July 2010.
Professor Sam Ramaiah, Walsall’s director of public health, said: “We are still eager to learn the views of all local people who have not already commented.
“The Board of NHS Walsall will take into full account all feedback – as well as other important factors including sustainability – before coming to a decision at our public Board meeting in July 2010.”