Pledge over GP surgery for hall

Monday 18th January 2010, 10:17AM GMT.

Health chiefs have vowed to work alongside villagers to ensure a vital branch GP surgery in north Shropshire can reopen for residents.

The surgery, held at Ellerdine Village Hall, is currently closed so refurbishments can be carried out.

Shropshire Primary Care Trust says it is working with the village hall committee and Hodnet Medical Practice to ensure it is brought up to standard so the service can return to the village.

Liz Welsh, senior primary care commissioning manager for Shropshire County PCT, said: “Shropshire County PCT is working with Ellerdine Village Hall and Hodnet Medical Practice to help provide them with advice and support over refurbishing the hall, so that it is suitable for a GP branch surgery to take place there once again.

“General practices are responsible for ensuring that their surgeries achieve minimum standards for health buildings and infection control.”

She added: “In agreement with the GPs the branch surgery at Ellerdine was closed some time ago in order to improve the environment for patients.

“There are many branch surgeries that run across Shropshire county, which provide local people with access to doctors on a regular basis, some of whom would otherwise have to travel many miles.”

View more: North Shropshire news.