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Tesco raises hopes for GP surgery

Susannah Wright
20/ 3/2008

HOPES have been raised that a new medical practice will be built by Tesco, after the supermarket’s solicitors finally got in touch with doctors in Burnage.

Mike Smith, practice manager at Kingsway Medical Practice said he is pleased that things are moving forward at last.

Tesco’s solicitors have contacted the practice’s solicitors in a bid to iron out the legalities of when and by who the new surgery will be built.

The medical practice is now completing details for information it needs to approve, which it will return to Tesco.

And Tesco is believed to be in discussion with the council on the remaining outstanding matters such as access to the new surgery that is due to be built on Burnage Lane.

Mike Smith said: "We are pleased and relieved that our solicitors have finally heard from theirs.

"We are working on the parts we need to approve and we hope they are as good as their word in sorting out their outstanding matters with the council.

"Subject to all this being completed satisfactorily, we are hopeful that the legal agreement between us, them and council, can be signed by the April deadine."

Last week, as detailed in the Reporter, staff and doctors at Kingsway Medical Practice, said they were planning to join patients in picketing the Burnage store, to urge Tesco bosses to deliver their promise to build a new store.

Around 600 Burnage residents signed a petition which helped Tesco gain planning permission for the 24-hour superstore on Lane End Road in 2005.

The proviso as granted by the council, was that Tesco would build a new surgery for the practice on Burnage Lane.

The current premises for Kingsway Medical Practice is a converted house which is not suitable for elderly or disabled patients, as two of the consulting rooms are upstairs.

A three-way legal document between the practice, Tesco and the council needs to be signed by April 4 - triggered by a three-year deadline from construction work starting on the Burnage store.

In recent weeks, around 800 patients signed a petition urging Tesco to make good on its promise to build the new surgery, rather than pay a penalty to the council of £607,000.

Michael Kelly, who has been a patient at the medical practice for 35 years, and is also chairman of Manchester Health Watchdog, said he was pleased that things were moving forward.

He said: "I’m really pleased that Tesco has at last got in touch with them. Somehow, hearing that the solicitors are now doing something makes it more concrete.

"Hopefully this will finally get sorted so that we can get the surgery we need and that they promised."