Hundreds of Essex GP surgery patients to march in the street over …

Hundreds of patients at an Essex surgery will be marching in the streets to protest it being relocated to an out-of-town housing development that will make it "absolutely inaccessible". The patients of Burnham-on-Crouch surgery fear that it could be moved from its town centre location in Foundry Lane to the new Burnham Waters retirement development on the edge of town in Maldon Road.

The surgery caters for more than 9,000 patients, and fears have grown that it could be relocated to the village which has more than 600 homes and is due to open later this year. Residents say the surgery relocating will create "absolute inaccessibility" for many patients living in Burnham who use the surgery, including the elderly, vulnerable and those with financial difficulties.

The uproar began following an email from the NHS that was shared on social media this year which stated that a new build surgery on the Burnham Waters development could be an option. Both the local NHS services and directors of the development have said no decision has been made to move the surgery.

In August this year, around 450 residents turned up to a public meeting organised by Burnham Town Council to discuss the plans. Now, a protest march is planned for Saturday, November 4, with hundreds of people expected to attend. Rachel Eborall, spokesman for the action group Burnham Save Our Surgery, which is organising the march, said the situation has been "shrouded in secrecy" and a surgery at Burnham Waters will be nearly two miles out of town with "no current public transport provision".

Campaigners believe that vulnerable, disabled and elderly people, those with young children, those who don't have transport and the economically disadvantaged, will be "most discriminated against" if the surgery does move.

Rachel said: "By marching we aim to draw urgent attention to the absolute inaccessibility of the retirement village for anyone without their own transport and highlight obstacles (including street furniture), lack of direct/safe pavements and hazardous road crossings patients will be faced with if they wish to walk, use mobility scooters or push prams.

"Essex County Council has said that the journey - around a four-mile round trip - is well beyond the normal walking thresholds of most able-bodied people and we feel strongly that the move will create terrible health inequalities for those least able to get to the surgery, cutting off many patients from access to health services and ultimately costing lives as people give up on trying to get to see a GP.

"We are calling on NHS decision makers at the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board to once and for all agree that the relocation will not be approved. The proposal puts the location of our public health services at the mercy of private interests and won't solve local health pressures. The process has been underhand and the move must not be allowed to happen.’'

During the public meeting in August, campaigners stated a second NHS surgery at Burnham Waters could be the most viable option going forward. The campaign group will be marching from noon from the Burnham Surgery on November 4.

Rachel added: "Residents and patients have voiced their firm resistance to moving the surgery out of town but we are concerned that the wheels are still turning behind the scenes. These plans only became known when information was leaked into the public domain yet talks have been taking place for very many months between Burnham Waters’ developer, the surgery and health authority.

“We are told by the health authority that no plans have been submitted for the proposal but public money (Section 106 payments) has been used to fund an appraisal of options for primary care in Burnham-on-Crouch. On an estate basis this appraisal suggested relocating the surgery to Burnham Waters Retirement Village. We call for clarity on the matter and the prerequisite public consultation into the proposal.”

Ian Holloway, Project Director for Burnham Waters, said: "It was stated at the referenced public meeting that new, regional NHS facilities under development are being privately funded by larger development schemes as the NHS does not have the funds available to build new premises.

"The distance from the current Burnham Surgery to Burnham Waters (one of several locations the NHS is considering) is just 1.5 miles. There are existing bus routes which, together with the committed transport schedule Burnham Waters will provide per section 106 obligations, will facilitate significantly enhanced accessibility for the entire community.

"It is true to say that Burnham Waters has planning permission to build a private surgery, which has no bearing on the needs of the Burnham NHS surgery. However, through the initial assessment process that the NHS undertook prior to any public engagement, Burnham Waters was approached and consequently given the opportunity to build the much-needed new premises at their own cost, subsequently delivering a state-of-the-art surgery and facilities. This is currently the subject of internal and public NHS review."

A spokesman for NHS Mid and South Essex, said: “Despite recent rumours, there are no formal proposals about relocating the Burnham Surgery.” The NHS added that Burnham Surgery does need to expand to accommodate a growing population and has been exploring "a range of options", but should any prove viable, it would have a duty to involve the public first.

References

1. ^{^} Essex pizza restaurant shut by food hygiene inspectors had items 'encrusted with filth' (www.essexlive.news)
2. ^{^} Man arrested at Essex KFC for ABH and 'racially aggravated' public order offence (www.essexlive.news)