St Mary's Medical Centre in Stamford to close on December 1 as doctors' surgeries for 30,000 patients are merged by Lakeside Healthcare

A doctors' surgery serving 15,000 patients is set to close on December 1.

Lakeside Healthcare Stamford held a meeting with members of its patients' participation group on Tuesday, when the date for the proposed closure of St Mary's Medical Centre in Wharf Road was announced.

Members of the patients' group expressed immediate concerns about the surgery's closure.

These focused on whether or not the 15,000 St Mary's patients will receive 'adequate care' when they are transferred to the Sheepmarket Surgery, off Ryhall Road, which already has about 15,000 patients.

Specific concerns raised by the patient participation group include:

• Inadequate phone systems for people contacting the surgeries
• A lack of parking spaces at the Sheepmarket Surgery
• Long queues for prescriptions which will leave people waiting outside in winter
• The 'suddenness' of the closure when the lease is not due to expire until 2025

In a statement, Lakeside Healthcare Stamford said: "We are unable to extend our lease on St Mary’s Medical Centre beyond December and, despite talks with several organisations over the last two years, have found no viable alternative options to provide primary care services elsewhere in Stamford.

"St Mary's Medical Centre has been closed to patients since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, with all face-to-face appointments taking place at Lakeside Stamford’s Sheepmarket Surgery. However, St Mary’s Medical Centre is currently being used by staff for telephone and digital consultations which do not require a clinical room."

Dr Tom Eames, GP partner at Lakeside Healthcare Stamford, said: “Providing safe and effective care for our patients has always been Lakeside Healthcare’s priority and it will continue to be our priority throughout this change and beyond. There will be no reduction in service to Lakeside patients.

“We have been working with Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on issues with St Mary’s Medical Centre since 2018 and it is fully aware of our plans to close the centre.

“There is no alternative to the closure as currently there is no possibility of the lease on St Mary’s Medical Centre being extended and there are no other viable locations to provide primary care services in Stamford, despite us looking elsewhere and exploring several possibilities with other organisations.

“Due to the coronavirus pandemic, St Mary’s Medical Centre has not been used for face-to-face patient appointments for the last few months but rather for telephone and digital consultations which do not require a clinical room.

"In line with nationally recommended new ways of working, we are making greater use of digital consultations and will ensure there are sufficient face-to-face appointments for patients, based on their needs.

“We’ve begun a comprehensive consultation with patients, the public and local stakeholders about the closure of St Mary’s Medical Centre and their feedback will be used to help us to address any concerns and in our drive to further improve the service we offer to our patients.”

Speaking after yesterday's meeting with Lakeside Healthcare, Andrew Nebel MBE, chairman of the patients' group, said: "I don't see how people living on the western side of town can drive to the Sheepmarket Surgery and find somewhere to park.

"There are not enough spaces on the site and alternative parking, such as at Morrisons supermarket, is too far for people who are frail, or those who are elderly and may struggle to walk that distance."

He added Lakeside Healthcare had sprung the announcement on patients only two-and-a-half months before the surgery is due to close, and as a result this did not leave enough time for good plans to be put in place.

"It's like they're jumping out of a plane and trying to knit a parachute on the way down," he said.

An online survey has been made available by Lakeside Healthcare from today.

What do you think? E-mail your views to smeditor@stamfordmercury.co.uk