'Dilapidated' Peterborough surgery still closed after two years

Patients said they have been enduring heavy taxi fares to see a GP two years after their local surgery shut temporarily for structural repair work.

The Parnwell medical centre in Saltersgate, Peterborough, which has 1,700 registered patients, has not reopened since 2022.

Dr Laliwala and Partners, who run the surgery, said it was impacted by subsidence issues but that patients would be informed of the timeline of works needed.

East ward Labour councillor, Dr Shabina Asad Qayyum, who is also a GP, called the ongoing closure "unacceptable and ludicrous", and said attempts had been made to contact surgery owners.

Patient Lee Taylor, who has lived in Parnwell for 23 years, said the situation made him "unhappy and angry".

He said both his daughter and an elderly neighbour were told they could not attend Nightingale practice and that Ailsworth was the only option for them, causing "huge inconvenience".

"My neighbour couldn't afford the taxi fare so she stayed home and has since got a chest infection," he said.

"People who need to see a doctor are having to fork out money. It is not fair.

"It doesn't take two years to fix a crack."

Mr lee - and another resident, Rahul Dhonde - chose to re-register with a new surgery in Peterborough.

Mr Dhonde said he initially struggled to find a GP for his poorly toddler after the surgery closed.

He said his wife had to keep taking their child to Ailsworth by taxi, which impacted the family.

"I have since changed practice and moved to one in the city centre," he said.

"I have a young child and just could not wait any longer."

Dr Qayyum, who is also a GP, said: "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.

"The surgery is now dilapidated. And buildings like these then become a haven for anti-social behaviour. Discarded needles have been seen outside.

"If doctors in question don't want to keep the building then inform the NHS about it. But we need answers."