VILLAGERS near Abingdon say they are “absolutely gutted” their GP surgery will close after a two-year campaign to save it.

Wootton Surgery, which opens five hours a week and has 200 patients, will shut on August 31, NHS England Thames Valley said. It said it needed “considerable investment” to meet Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards.

Patients will now be reallocated to Botley Medical Centre, which runs Wootton, or a surgery in Abingdon.

Wootton patient Avryl French, who campaigned to keep it open, said: “We are absolutely gutted. The bus to Botley doesn’t stop outside the centre so it’s a long way to go if you’re already poorly.

“And if your appointment runs late and you miss your bus you have to wait an hour for the next one.”

An NHS England public consultation took place earlier this year.

Spokesman Stuart Green said: “Staffing at Botley Medical Centre is sufficient to meet the needs of the registered patients and currently includes time for a GP to attend Wootton Surgery.’’

A Botley Medical Centre statement said: “We’d like to reassure patients that we will do everything we can to support our patients affected by this closure.”

The medical centre said the Wootton surgery was unsuitable because there is no disabled access or toilets, the heating system needs replacing and there are “difficulties” sharing the computerised patient records.

 

 

 

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