Former medical practice becoming 'unsafe' to operate near Telford could be turned back into home
Medical chiefs in charge of a vacant GP surgery near Telford becoming unsafe to operate want to turn it back into accommodation.
High Ercall's medical practice operated for two hours a week before closing in October last year following a consultation.
It was decided to be a 'waste' of the Clinical Commissioning Group's (CCG) resources and an 'unsafe environment to practice modern medicine'.
Owned by Shawbury Medical Practice, the venue catered for frail patients with no way of getting to the company's main practice in Poynton Road, Shawbury.
A planning application has been submitted to Telford & Wrekin Council to turn the building back to its original use as a bungalow.
A letter included in the application states changes in modern health services has left the practice, situated between Telford and Shawbury, redundant.
It states: "As general practice has changed and become more busy; also as Shropdoc was set up and GPs no longer provide their own locum cover it was felt that it was a waste of the CCG's resources and it was becoming an unsafe environment to practice modern medicine."
It adds the views of MP Mark Pritchard, medical experts and residents were sought before the decision to close the surgery in Talbot Fields was made.
It states: "This was put out to the local patients of High Ercall (none of which complained), put to the Patient Participation Group (which agreed it should be closed), wrote to the parish councils of Ercall Magna and Shawbury, wrote to the local MP and had a box for comments in the surgery.
"Next we went to the meeting of the board of the local CCG where our case was presented.
"The result was that the board unanimously voted to shut High Ercall as a branch surgery."
The building, originally built as a residential bungalow, was bought by Shawbury Medical Practice in 1988 to be used by locum doctors who had to reside in the area while on call.
A bedroom was used as a consulting room for two hours a week.
The planning application adds no conversions have since been undertaken, no exterior alterations will be made and little work will be needed to complete the change of use.
Telford & Wrekin Council is set to decide on the application in the coming weeks.
