Views of patients at Barrow GP surgery wanted

People at a Barrow GP practice have been asked to give their views on how changes to their local surgery would affect them.

Drs Chris Green and Kathryn Robinson, who run Liverpool House Surgery in Risedale Road, will retire at the end of June after a combined 59 years of service in the town.

NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), which organises healthcare services for the region, must now decide whether to close the practice and has committed to involving local patients in that decision.

Dr Lindsey Dickinson, associate medical director for the ICB, said: “One of the options is that the practice may close and patients asked to register with an alternative existing GP practice – several of which are available locally. We are not asking patients to register at one of these practices yet.

“The current Liverpool House building is not owned by the NHS and while it has housed GP services in the area for a number of years, it is limited in its options for future development.

“The views of the patients are paramount in helping us make this decision. I would therefore like to invite you to provide comments to our online survey by Friday 17 March.”

A survey is available to complete at www.lancashireandsouthcumbria.icb.nhs.uk/liverpoolhouse

Drop-in sessions where people can speak to members of the local NHS team will take place at Abbots Vale Community Centre, which is a two-minute walk from the surgery, on Monday 13 March from 1pm to 4pm and Tuesday 14 March from 9.30am to 12.30pm.