Patients sign petition to save their under-threat Leyland surgery

Station Surgery is under threat following the sudden death last month of Dr George Ahad, who established it in 1988.

The Golden Hill Lane surgery started its SOS - Save Our Surgery - campaign, fearing it will close at the end of a temporary six-month contract to keep it open.

A new locum doctor has arrived at the surgery, which is the only one covering north Leyland, Farington and surrounding area.Supporters are being urged

to sign the petition, which has been placed on the reception desk.

The surgery put out this ‘important’ message to patients on its website: “Following the death of Dr Ahad and the surgery running on locum cover for the past few weeks we are pleased to have been granted a ‘caretaker’ contract by the CCG which will see four GP’s from Park View Surgery in Preston run Station Surgery for the next 6 months.

“Your new Doctors are Dr Fiaz Yousaf, Dr Jeremy Hann, Dr Brigid Finlay and Dr Linda Fan. Although this is good news for the immediate future, Station Surgery still remains threatened by closure at the end of the 6 month temporary contract and we may need your help to keep the surgery running after this. We plan to start a petition in surgery to give to the CCG to

keep our surgery open permanently and we greatly value any letters of support and signatures from our patients to help us S.O.S - SAVE OUR SURGERY, and thank you for all your recent support during this worrying time.”

A patient engagement evening to specifically discuss the issue is due to take place at the surgery tomorrow.The meeting will outline the CCG’s proposals in the interim period.

Practice manager Alison Smith said the patients were “very passionate” about the surgery and worried about its possible closure.

She said: “The patients are very supportive and are all signing the petition and we’ve received letters of support form them. The all want to keep the surgery open.”

She said the petition had received around 350 names in just under a week.

Donna Roberts, head of primary and elective care at the NHS Greater Preston and Chorley and South Ribble CCGs said: “In order to make sure that patients continue to have access to a GP and other services previously provided, a ‘caretaker’ practice – the Park View Surgery in Preston – was appointed to look after the patients and staff of Station Surgery, following the sad passing of Dr Ahad. This caretaker practice will maintain delivery of the services for a six month period whilst a longer-term solution is sought.

“Both Park View Surgery, as the caretaker practice, and the CCG will be gathering patients’ views on what will happen to Station Surgery and the services provided after November 25, 2019. There are a number of possibilities, which range from procuring another GP practice to provide care from the existing Station Surgery premises, to dispersing the list of registered patients to other local GP practices and closing the surgery.

“We understand that this whole period is unsettling for both the patients registered with Station Surgery, and the staff employed by the surgery. Therefore we are inviting patients to come and meet some of the team from both Park View Surgery and Station Surgery, as well as representatives of the CCG so that any questions they may have can be answered.

“There will also be lots of further opportunities for patients to have their say on what should happen to Station Surgery at the end of the caretaker period. The CCG will be in contact with all registered patients about these opportunities, which are likely to involve a survey, drop-in sessions and other mechanisms, in due course.

“The CCG will listen to and consider all feedback before any final decision is made by the Primary Care Commissioning Committee – a group of local GPs, who based upon their expertise and experience, assess and agree any proposals for local primary care services.”