Almost 1,000 people have protested at NHS England’s refusal to grant permission for a weekly satellite surgery at the award-winning, newly refurbished Peasmarsh Memorial Hall. Rye Medical Centre, which already runs three other satellite surgeries, was given just six weeks to appeal at the refusal. The appeal went in on August 7, three days before the deadline. It was accompanied by a petition bearing the signatures of 984 unhappy local residents – all dissatisfied with this puzzling decision.
Such a strong response was excellent, given the short time NHS England gave the surgery in which to appeal. Even more signatures have also been submitted via an online e-petition, which is on-going. There is still time to write an individual letter of support. Jackie Kempton, practice manager at Rye Medical Centre, can supply more details. Mail her at this address.
Proposed cuts to local rural bus services make the refusal to give the go-ahead to the satellite surgery even more incomprehensible. The medical centre is now waiting to be informed when an appeals panel has been convened.
At the end of June NHS England said permission was refused on the basis that “conditions [at the hall] are not satisfactory”. The decision was taken without a site visit. Yet the hall won a Sussex Heritage Trust award in early summer because of “the high standard” of the work there.
Gill Clamp is on the committee of the Rye Medical Centre PPG