Dudley GP practices in line for closure

Lower Gornal Medical Practice wants to close its Masefield Road branch and the Market Street Surgery in Kingswinford - a branch surgery of Wordsley Green Health Centre.

A public consultation is already under way with residents in both areas being asked for their views on the closures.

Formal applications will then be considered by the Primary Care Operational Group in January before recommendations are presented to the Primary Care Commissioning Committee for a final decision to be made.

But residents in both areas say while the branches are smaller than the larger centres which operate them they are still more convenient for elderly and disabled residents to get to.

Gornal councillor Dave Branwood said: "It is very disappointing this branch surgery has been earmarked for closure.

"It is always a shame to see the loss of something like this and will affect members of the community which use it."

Fellow ward councillor Anne Millward said she had been contacted by residents who were concerned about the proposed closure.

"People have said the Masefield Road branch is more convenient for some people to get to," she said.

"Essentially it is a single consulting room which is operated by the main medical practice in Bull Street. It used to be a surgery in its own right which served people living on the Straits.

"It was taken on my the medical practice when the last doctor who operated it left."

She added: "I understand closure of this branch is a cost-cutting measure as the medical practice has all of the necessary facilities.

"However people who do use the Masefield Road branch still have to travel down into the village to get their prescriptions."

Bosses at the Wordsley Green Health Centre said the closure of the Market Street branch surgery would allow them to 'provide premises which are fit for modern general practice' and enable them to deliver 'high quality healthcare'.

Users have been asked to give their views and feedback on the proposed closure.

Steve Wellings, chairman of Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group's primary care commissioning committee, said: "Dudley CCG is aware that Lower Gornal Medical Practice and Wordsley Green Health Centre are both currently consulting with their practice population on the closure of their branch surgeries.

"The practices have written out to key people including councillors and are in communication with their patients.

"We would urge anyone concerned to either contact their practice or visit their practice website."