Black Country GP surgery closes leaving 2,500 to find new doctors

Malling Health in Wednesbury shuts with more than 2,500 patients forced to find a new doctor.

NHS England decided not to renew its contract for the GP surgery after five years of it running the centre.

Critics have highlighted the practice should have already relocated to a £9 million health centre which has been delayed for years and has still not begun, so patients should not have been forced to look elsewhere.

Donna Macarthur, head of primary care for NHS England's area team, stressed patients now needed to register with a new practice as soon as possible – as the organisation's data showed more than 1,000 people were yet to do so.

She said this was especially important for those with a long-term medical condition, were in the middle of a course of treatment, pregnant, over 70, or have children under five years old. She said: "NHS England are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and understand that patients may be upset that their GP surgery is closing.

"We are committed to helping patients find a new GP surgery in their local area."

She added that latest information showed many patients in their 20s and 30s, who might not regularly visit the doctor, were yet to register elsewhere. Affected patients should visit www.nhs.uk and type in their postcode to find information about other surgeries nearby, or call 0113 824 8229, a local number.

A petition with more than 800 signatures calling for the centre to remain open was delivered to Parliament last month. Both the Malling Health and The Spires health centre were due to have new premises as part of a £9 million new health scheme due to be built in High Bullen.

The centre, originally known as the '2010 project' because of when it was due for completion, has not yet begun, though NHS England has insisted it is 'committed in principle' to the scheme.

Malling Health was originally given a five-year contract in Wednesbury, which was due to expire by the time it should have relocated to the new health centre.

Since the centre has not yet begun, the council offered NHS England the option to relocate the practice to a former neighbourhood office on nearby King Street but a feasibility study declared a fit-out would cost £439,000 which NHS England ruled out as unaffordable. The council health watchdog has called on NHS England to say sorry to patients in Wednesbury and sort out its 'chaotic' plans for the town.