The future of a Shrewsbury medical practice serving 12,000 patients is in doubt after it was revealed funding for its redevelopment has been refused.
Staff at Riverside Medical Practice, in Roushill, have been seeking a new home for more than a decade as their existing surgery is too small.
The practice was due to be given prime space in the town’s multi-million pound Barker Street development, owned by Morris Property, but officials at Shropshire County Primary Care Trust have confirmed they are not in a position to fund the scheme at this time.
Martin Cousins, practice manager, told the Chronicle ‘thousands of pounds’ have been invested to cover legal fees and a business case.
“We are bursting at the seams and have to operate within what we’ve got and this means we can’t do the things we would like to do,” he said.
“We’ve not got anywhere to sit down with people to undertake training and we can’t do much in the way of minor surgery because we haven’t got the facilities.
“We are very disappointed with the PCT decision as it’s the future of the practice, and the patients deserve better than what we can offer at the minute.
“We can’t continue in this building forever. We have a lease in place that gives us some security in the short term, but our long term future is very uncertain and a great worry.”
Mr Cousins said the new premises would have been almost four times the size of the existing practice and would have seen the number of consulting rooms double to 20.
Liz Welsh, of Shropshire County PCT, said: “Last week Shropshire County PCT Board agreed to fund the redevelopment of two medical practices in the county.
“Worthen Medical Practice and Cleobury Mortimer were the top two priorities in need of redevelopment. The PCT also confirmed that it was not in a position to fund the redevelopment of Riverside Medical Practice in Shrewsbury, which was third on our priority list, at this time.”
Steve Pummell, project manager for Morris Property, added: “Morris Property will complete the rebuild of the Claremont Baptist Church as originally planned and seek to extend the Barker Street shoppers car park as a temporary measure, until such time as the funds can be secured by the Riverside Medical Practice.”
by Charlotte Hester