Parnwell Medical Centre Remains Closed for Two Years Following Structural Issues

For two years, patients have reported incurring substantial taxi expenses to access general practitioner services, following the temporary closure of their local surgery for structural repairs. The Parnwell medical centre, located in Saltersgate, Peterborough, serving 1,700 registered patients, has remained inaccessible since 2022. Dr Laliwala and Partners, the operators of the facility, stated that the surgery was affected by subsidence problems and committed to informing patients about the schedule for necessary repairs. Dr Shabina Asad Qayyum, a Labour councillor for East ward and a general practitioner herself, described the continued closure as “unacceptable and ludicrous” and indicated that efforts had been made to reach out to the surgery’s proprietors. Patients have been directed to schedule appointments with alternative medical practices, such as Ailsworth Medical Centre and Newborough, with some individuals incurring travel expenses up to £40. Lee Taylor, a patient who has resided in Parnwell for 23 years, expressed that the circumstances left him “unhappy and angry”. Mr. Taylor recounted that both his daughter and an elderly neighbor were informed they could not utilize the Nightingale practice, with Ailsworth presented as their sole alternative, leading to “huge inconvenience”. He stated, “My neighbour couldn’t afford the taxi fare so she stayed home and has since got a chest infection.” He further added, “People who need to see a doctor are having to fork out money. It is not fair.” and “It doesn’t take two years to fix a crack.” Mr. Taylor, along with another resident, Rahul Dhonde, opted to re-register at a different surgery within Peterborough. Mr. Dhonde reported initial difficulties in securing a general practitioner for his unwell toddler following the surgery’s closure. He mentioned that his wife was compelled to repeatedly transport their child to Ailsworth via taxi, which affected their family. Mr. Dhonde stated, “I have since changed practice and moved to one in the city centre.” He added, “I have a young child and just could not wait any longer.” Dr. Qayyum, also a GP, commented: “As Peterborough City Council’s cabinet member for adult social care and public health, I say it’s absolute unacceptable that we are not having the right infrastructure to serve an ever growing population, especially areas like Parnwell that has mobile park homes and elderly populations.” She continued, “The surgery is now dilapidated. And buildings like these then become a haven for anti-social behaviour. Discarded needles have been seen outside. ” She concluded, “If doctors in question don’t want to keep the building then inform the NHS about it. But we need answers.” A representative for NHS Cambridgeshire & Peterborough acknowledged that the closure of Parnwell Medical Centre was a source of frustration for residents. They stated, “Since the surgery originally closed due to subsidence causing safety issues on site, we continue to keep in regular contact with the practice team and offered our support on a regular basis.”