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Dr Margaret Cant, Dr Jonathan Kaye, and practice manager Mike Smith outside their surgery
Doctors are running out of patience
Susannah Wright13/12/2007
DOCTORS are demanding that a supermarket chain honours its pledge to build them a new surgery in Burnage.
Staff at the Kingsway Medical Practice say time is running out for Tesco to make good on a promise to create a new modern home for the practice.
Superstore bosses agreed to build a new surgery as part of its application for a 24-hour store on Burnage Lane, which opened in 2005.
Tesco says it intends to honour the agreement, but staff are worried that the supermarket may instead opt to pay a £607,000 penalty clause to the council - which would be triggered if the legal paperwork for the scheme is not in place by April next year.
If that were to happen, the council would be under no obligation to fund a new surgery to replace the existing practice on Kingsway, which staff say is difficult for disabled and elderly to access.
Dr Margaret Kant, one of three doctors at Kingsway Medical Practice, said she has heard nothing from Tesco since the Supermarket’s then head of corporate affairs visited the medical centre in January, introducing himself with the words, ‘I believe we owe you a surgery’.
His successor in the post Neil Skitt said the work has been delayed by complex legal issues, but that building work would begin in the New Year. But Dr Kant said: "They promised us that they were going to do something for the people of Burnage, but they have been dragging their heels for so long, we are worried as to what will happen.
"We feel very disappointed and are losing confidence. We want them to honour their promise."
Dr Kant added that the current surgery - which has around 5,800 patients - is not suitable because it is a converted house with two consulting rooms and a nurses’ treatment room upstairs. She said: "It makes it very difficult for some elderly or disabled people to come to us. The new centre that we have been promised is supposed to have three consulting rooms and two nurses’ treatment rooms downstairs, so it would be much better. It would also mean that we could be more flexible in offering counselling services for patients, as well as taking on new patients and even look at appointing another doctor."
Crucial to the original planning application that the council passed is a legal document that must be signed by Tesco, Kingsway
Mike Smith, practice manager at Kingsway Medical Practice, said he is unsure about whether Tesco actually wants to beat the looming deadline. He said: "We are worried that they could decide that writing-off that money is preferable for them.
"We and our patients could lose out, but I don't know what else we can do about it."
Yet Neil Skitt, corporate affairs manager for Tesco denied the supermarket was dragging its heels.
He said: "We have had a number of legal issues to consider, but we are planning to set something down in writing in the next few weeks and then start the building work in the New year."
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18/12/2007 at 22:54
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