Satellite GP surgeries in two Broads villages look likely to close because they are not much used and take up valuable GP time.Acle Medical Partnership, which also has a branch surgery at Reedham, wants to close its outlying consultation facilities at Halvergate and Stokesby.
Satellite GP surgeries in two Broads villages look likely to close because they are not much used and take up valuable GP time.
Acle Medical Partnership, which also has a branch surgery at Reedham, wants to close its outlying consultation facilities at Halvergate and Stokesby. At the moment there is one half-hour surgery each week in each of the two villages, but only three to four patients attend on average. The practice says that closing them would save 90 minutes of doctor time for each, which would allow nine more appointments in Acle or Reedham.
Five Halvergate patients have complained about the plans, but the practice says it will provide home visits for patients who currently go to Halvergate or Stokesby and cannot get to Acle or Reedham - no more than four miles away - because of transport problems.
A final decision is due to be made by NHS Norfolk within the next month. Norfolk's health scrutiny committee has been asked to give its views on the change, and says it does not consider that the plan would be a substantial variation in service.
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