Patients will by now have received their letters from the South Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group (SLCCG).
We have been asked to complete an online survey; this is best left for now as the coming public meetings should reveal more details of their true intentions. There are three months until the end of December so there is no rush.
Some patients may feel uncomfortable using online surveys, but a paper copy is available which you can then fill in when you are ready – just phone the Sleaford office for a copy on 01522 573939 or pick up a copy at the Johnson GP Centre.
If we want our GP practice back in Pennygate then we must fight for it!
There are to be five public meetings: two in October; two in November and one in December. I urge everyone to attend at least one of the public meetings as poor attendance does not look like we care enough. The first public meeting is to be held on Wednesday, October 17 (3pm-5pm) at the South Holland Centre in Spalding.
A small group of us have set up a Facebook page which is open to anyone to join. Please let us know your views and/or experiences of the “interim service” from the Johnson Hospital site. It can be accessed by Google web search www.pennygatehealthactiongroup.com or from within Facebook itself if you are already use it. You can also phone the Pennygate Foundation on 01775 421001 or call in at 204 Pennygate, Spalding with your comments and concerns.
We need to hear from you!
The map supplied in the survey is not very clear, but essentially the west side of town includes the site of the Pennygate GP practice and, if you mark the railway line in, it can clearly be seen that all current GP practices are located on the other side of town. Current plans for future expansion and new house building are all on the western side where the greatest expansion and need will come from.
The SLCCG was put on the back foot when the strength of public feeling was evident at a public meeting with our MP John Hayes on August 20.
Let’s show the SLCCG that patient need comes first as the NHS constitution demands, it is their duty to see that it does.
Peter Chapman
Spalding
