District council leader weighs in on Sutton Surgery closure

Priors Field Surgery in Sutton is due to close on March 31 owing to current GPs retiring from the practice and struggling to recruit new doctors. 

Cllr Anna Bailey, leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council [ECDC], said she is “extremely concerned about the impact of closure on residents. 

“Fenland Group Practice [FGP], which runs the surgery, and NHS Cambridgeshire & Peterborough are committed to ensuring all patients have access to high quality GP services and care in the future. 

“It is inevitable that many village residents who use the surgery and do not have easy access to a vehicle will be concerned.” 

Cllr Bailey believes those who use the surgery will be concerned about issues such as which GP practice they will be allocated to and how they will access the new service. 

In November @SteveBarclay
stated patients will have more choice over GP practice.

Not true in Sutton in is own constituency, the GP practice is closing on 31 March and patients being transferred to busy surgeries many miles from their homes.

Still waiting to hear his response https://t.co/zpCJJMzSTK

— Mark Inskip 🔶 #FBFE #FBPPR (@MA_Inskip) February 25, 2023

Cllr Anna Bailey said it is inevitable that residents who do not have easy access to a vehicle will be concerned about the surgery's possible closure. (Image: LDR)

Members of the Priors Field Patient Participation Group were told by the surgery that FGP advised NHS England in November that it would not be renewing its contract with them. 

Cllr Lorna Dupre and fellow Sutton councillor Mark Inskip have written to health secretary Steve Barclay MP inviting him to a public meeting on the possible closure. 

An invitation to @SteveBarclay MP to attend a public meeting regarding the sudden closure of the GP practice in Sutton, in his constituency, at his earliest convenience. pic.twitter.com/b9zVI3SL47

— Lorna Dupré 🇯🇪 🔶 (@lornadupre) February 25, 2023

READ MORE: Sutton councillor shocked by Priors Field surgery closure

"With stretched local resources, I am also very concerned about the effect of taking on large numbers of new patients on other GP practices,” Cllr Bailey added. 

“GPs are independent practices and while the council cannot affect the decisions of the FGP, we are doing everything we can to raise this at the highest level of government.” 

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System, responsible for planning and delivering health and care services in the county, has been approached for comment.