As a result of the 700-signature petition last year, a meeting was held in January with the Forrest Medical Centre practice manager, NHS managers and Cllr. Bally Singh regarding the closure of the Mount Street surgery planned for later this year. This will result in patients based there having either to attend the practice’s Canley site or registering with another practice.

Cllr. Singh argued that the consultation efforts had not been good enough to date and more needs to be done to find out about patients who will be disadvantaged by the move.

The NHS agreed to send out a mailshot to all Mount Street patients advising them of the changes, letting them know of alternative GP surgeries in the area and how to register if people decide to do so. The information will also allow residents to provide some feedback and possibly attend drop in sessions at the surgery. The NHS agreed councillors would be able to review this information before it is delivered to patients. A report will be compiled from this exercise and the move in general, which will ultimately be subject to council scrutiny.

Cllr. Singh told ECHO “The meeting with NHS officials was quite positive, considering the lack of consultation efforts so far by the Mount Street surgery. I urge the practice and the NHS to deliver on their commitment to engage more proactively with their patients, in order to identify those people who will be most disadvantaged by the surgery’s move to the Canley site.”