Patients are seeking answers about the future of their GP surgery after it was told to find a new premises

Billinge Medical Practice informed patients in March that it had been asked to leave the premises on Recreation Drive, as the building’s owners want to sell it.

It followed two years of “extensive” discussions with the owners – who are former GP partners – and the drawing up of a grant proposal to improve the site, they said.

Currently the surgery is continuing to run as normal, but questions are circulating about what will happen when it has to vacate the building later this year.

Now, Billinge Medical Practice Patient Participation Group (PPG) has released a lengthy statement to highlight its “serious lack of confidence” in NHS Cheshire and Merseyside integrated care board (ICB)’s commitment to finding a replacement premises.

Signed by co-chairman Darren Gilchrist and Andrea Jack, the statement says a letter with concerns was sent to the ICB on April 21 after a PPG meeting.

This was followed with a formal vote of no confidence letter from the PPG, as it had not received a response to the first letter.

The statement said: “Patients need reassurance and certainty that the NHS ICB will be supporting the continuation of the delivery of our now excellent GP services, by the current team, at an accessible location in our community.

“At this time, the ICB has provided no clear, time-bound plan, either for a premises solution that meets the necessary urgency to address the six-month landlords’ notice to vacate the current premises or a longer-term premises solution. They have provided no reassurance or commitment to meet the clearly expressed wishes of patients to retain a practice building within Billinge for the longer term. They have had no meaningful collaboration or consultation with the patients, or the PPG as their representatives.”

The PPG said patients had suggested a number of potential alternative premises for the surgery, which had been sent to the ICB.

This included some sites which were not available or unsuitable, but the PPG said the former Birchley Hall care home could be refurbished to house the practice, or there is land in several locations which could be used for a new building.

The PPG acknowledged there may not be time for refurbishment or construction work before the current building is vacated in September, but it was keen to prevent any temporary solution becoming permanent.

It has called on the ICB to share details of its plans for the practice when its options appraisal process is completed, which is expected to be by the end of May.

It also wants the ICB to produce a feasibility study, and present its findings to a public meeting, identifying the solution that best meets the needs of patients.

A spokesperson for the PPG said: “The current GP contract holders, led by Erika Howell, received a ‘good’ evaluation by the CQC within 18 months of taking over, which is the second highest rating available and is particularly impressive considering the timeframe in which that was achieved, and from a starting point of being assessed as the lowest possible rating before this team took over.

"It is also now a teaching practice, training the doctors and other HCPs for the future.

"Patient satisfaction quickly soared to 20 per cent higher than the national average in the latest PPG patient survey. I can’t put it any better than a patient who was at the public meeting on March 26 who said that the service ‘is now better than it has been for decades’.

“With the landlords serving notice to vacate the current practice building, Billinge Medical Practice deserves a fit for purpose building in Billinge, and we expect the ICB and NHS England to support this now excellent team to deliver their GP services in the neighbourhood that it serves.

"Support from the local community is now seen as critical to hold the NHS ICB to account. We need people to remain registered with Billinge Medical Practice to support our amazing and committed Billinge Medical Practice team, sign and share the public petition available in the surgery and local shops, attend any public meetings when announced and to contact their local MP, councillors etc to make sure that the patient voice is heard loud and clear.”

A spokesman for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside told Wigan Today that a letter about the practice, which provides a timeline, next steps and answers initial questions, had been sent to the PPG this week.

However, the PPG said their concerns “have not been addressed in their response”.

They said: “This communication was in response to issues raised some time ago – and no part of that reassures patients of any commitment to finding a premises in Billinge for the current practice."

The NHS Cheshire and Merseyside spokesman said: “We have been informed that the landlords of Billinge Medical Practice intend to sell the building and are working closely with the practice and NHS England to explore suitable future options. We are committed to supporting the practice to ensure that primary care services are retained for its patients and would like to thank the Patient Participation Group for their support during this process.

“Any sale does not affect the operation of the practice, which continues to provide services as normal. We will share further updates as soon as more information becomes available.”