BY CLLR DIANE WILLIAMSON.

Today I attended the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) meeting at the Civic Centre to discuss the closure of the Trent Road surgery in High Crompton.  The surgery not only caters for those in the locality but offers medical care to those living in Royton, Shaw and other parts of Crompton ward, as well as those further afield in Saddleworth and Rochdale.

However, the meeting that was being held was in public, but not one where I could ask any questions.  I cannot explain how angry I was – although I suspect those residents and officers present could tell.

Coming away from that meeting, I felt that the residents who had been vocal in wanting the surgery to remain open, had expressed their concerns very well – but it fell on deaf ears.

Yes, they understood that Dr Pal was retiring and have nothing but kind words, affection and praise for him and his colleagues at that location, as have I.  I was a former patient when I lived in High Crompton.  What they wanted was to see someone else take his place in that building.

At the meeting, the reasons for closing it were put forward, some of which were that they could not perform minor surgery procedures, there was no privacy and the fact that Parks Medical Practice is not fulfilling their contractual obligations with the number of hours the surgery is open, which is two mornings a week.

All this comes from Parks Medical Practice who have been deemed INADEQUATE in a recent inspection.  When asked whether the building and running of the Trent Road satellite surgery had impacted on that rating, the answer was a bit like YES but NO.

My problem is it all seems a little too convenient with Parks Medical Practice making the decision to close the surgery, when Dr Pal has announced his retirement.

This cannot have been the first inspection where the building was deemed to be inadequate for its patients.  Why did they not spend funds on it, especially with the ever-changing NHS, GP services and clinics being offered more locally.  These changes have been in the making for years, but they have missed the boat.

Luckily, residents have the opportunity to still use the surgery until the end of January when it closes; just when the flu season is in full swing and elderly patients will be struggling.

I am writing to the Chief Executive of Oldham Council, Dr Carolyn Wilkins, who is the Single Accountable Officer of Oldham Cares, who make the ultimate decision about the closure, to express my anger and disappointment that such a decision was made without the input of ward Councillors in this new so-called partnership approach.

Below are the words in the letter that I am sending:

Dear Dr Wilkins,

I am writing to you in your capacity as the Chief Executive of Oldham Council and the Single Accountable Officer of Oldham Cares, to express my disappointment that I was not allowed to address the meeting as a Crompton Councillor.

Since this meeting was an extraordinary meeting to discuss one item and one item only, the closure of the Trent Road satellite surgery to Parks Medical Practice, I felt that I should have been able to put forward the Crompton Councillors concerns about the closure of an asset in our ward.  The depth of feeling from residents has been second to none and I would have liked, as their elected representative, to be more involved and would have queried some issues about the report whilst offering meaningful suggestions.

The whole process seems to be shambolic for engagement with local members, so my colleagues and I would welcome the opportunity to meet with decision makers at Parks Medical Practice to understand more of the rationale behind the closure.

Yours sincerely, Cllr Diane Williamson, Liberal Democrat – Crompton Ward

My advice to anybody at this surgery is to to register with one of the two medical practices at Crompton Heath Centre, rather than just be transferred back to Royton. Councillor Howard Sykes.