Patients at the Garlinge GP surgery, operated by The Limes Medical Centre, have been notified of its possible closure.
Letters have been sent out to say the premises are no longer suitable and a search for an alternative property had not been fruitful.
The Garlinge surgery, in Canterbury Road, had been proposed for closure in 2016 after the retirement of Dr Sohanpol but The Limes then took over the running of the site.
An NHS Thanet Clinical Commissioning Group spokesman said: “We can confirm that we have received an application from The Limes Medical Centre to close the Garlinge branch surgery.
“The practice is currently consulting with patients and is asking patients to complete a survey expressing their views and concerns. The practice has also organised two patient drop-in sessions for patients to express their views and concerns.
“All of these comments will be taken on board before the NHS Thanet Clinical Commissioning Group‘s Primary Care Commissioning Committee makes a decision on this proposed closure on Thursday 17 May.”
The Limes Medical Centre will remain open and continue to see Garlinge patients. There is no need to re-register.
‘Regret’
In a letter to patients the medical centre says: “Although patients have been able to use the Garlinge branch since July 2016, the premises no longer allow us to offer the best care for our patients. It is therefore with regret that after a lot of discussion and consideration the practice is proposing to close the branch surgery.
Some of the problems we face that have led to this decision are: The premises is not suitable for providing modern day healthcare; The building is vulnerable to adverse weather and computer systems run very slowly with some not being available
“We know that this may not be a popular decision with some patients, but we have not been able to find alternative premises, despite looking at many options, working closely with the Thanet Clinical Commissioning Group.
“We understand that closure of the Garlinge branch site may make access to the practice more difficult for a number of patients. However we believe that this change will strengthen the practice as a whole, allowing us to offer a wider range of services to all of our patients and a more consistent level of service.”
Patient meetings
Garlinge Methodist Church Hall, Canterbury Road, Garlinge, on Thursday 19 April, from 5pm
The Limes Medical Centre Trinity Square, Margate on Saturday 21 April from 9.30am.
Send questions to The Limes Medical Centre, Trinity Square, Margate CT9 1QT
The consultation ends on May 4.
Limes already over crowded, nhs in Thanet is in meltdown, growling population and less services combined with useless CCFC leadership means imminent chaos
Growing population!
If they keep closing surgeries then we will all be growling.
I am a patient at Garlinge and for me the take over is good news better service and great staff at the Limes, since the change the practice gas improved significantly. That said I have no difficulty getting to the Limes some residents may find it difficult and know from my visit’s it’s an increasingly busy surgery. It’s chronic underinvestment by central government alongside an ageing population as well as a local population growth more investment needed in good local infrastructure no wonder they can’t recruit enough GP’s here. We also need to hope the great GP’s employed in Thanet from Poland and other EU nations opt to stay in the UK in the coming years, if they don’t we’re stuffed.
I don’t know why it’s taken the limes so long to close garlinge surgery .l expected it back in 2017.the nhs is all about saving money and not care . when this happens to get to the limes from
garlinge is not easy. only one bus takes you so far then a long walk and if you drive you will have to pay for parking ?.
Not got our letter yet. But if the letter I received from them this afternoon advising me of a hospital appointment tomorrow in Canterbury at 10 am is any thing to go by, it will be a week before we are notified; missed the first meeting then!
As a patient of Garlinge I can say getting an appt is nearly impossible. I’ve given up now and buy my 12 year old daughter’s medication out of her DLA money as we can never see a doctor outside of school hours and any appointments offered are always a few weeks in the future. Getting to the Limes isn’t easy as I never have the change needed for the car park.
Also haven’t been notified of the intention to close as of my last post on Tuesday. Poor communication, not really surprised though…
Rainy, don’t hold your breath for a quick appointment at the limes, note parking charges have gone up to a rip off £.1.30p an hour thanks to UKIP