PATIENTS are being consulted about a move that could see the closure of a Grays GP surgery – but it will transfer to another nearby venue.

Milton Road Surgery, a branch of nearby The Grays Surgery, was given six months' notice by its landlord in autumn 2024 that the building premises need to be vacated by 31 March 2025.

During this notice period, the practice has been actively exploring alternative locations to ensure this imposed change in premises has minimal impact on registered patients and their access to local services.

Milton Road is also an accredited GP Training Practice, and securing alternative premises that allows it sufficient space to continue as a training facility is vital to support the ongoing work to recruit and retain primary care workforce in Thurrock.

Milton Road Surgery has identified an opportunity to relocate to nearby Oddfellows Hall Health Centre where there is available space to accommodate all Milton Road Surgery staff and patient services – this option would ensure existing patient services could continue in a nearby location, and that patients have continuity of care.

This is a pragmatic option for Milton Road patients that would mean access to the same services in an alternative site very close to the existing surgery. Oddfellows Hall Health Centre is a 3-minute walk, 0.1 mile away on Dell Road which has the available capacity and facilities to accommodate all existing patient services and GP training and education activity.

Additionally, Milton Road patients would continue to be able to access services from the practice's main site at The Grays Surgery as they currently do. Under the proposed solution, patients would remain registered with the practice and do not need to take any further action in order to keep accessing primary care services.

This would mean the co-location of primary care services in a single building, provided by two different GP practices (Milton Road Surgery, and Oddfellows Hall Health Centre).

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The Milton Road Surgery has commenced a four-week period of patient engagement to gather patient feedback and views.

The engagement will include digital and print copies of a patient survey, as well as a series of drop-in clinics and targeted outreach to encourage engagement of vulnerable groups including patients seldom heard. Patient information, including patient letters, posters in practice, an FAQ, and website notices, will be provided.

After patient engagement has concluded, the GP practice will be required to submit an application to NHS Mid and South Essex regarding this change, which will outline the rationale and evidence for how they will continue to meet the needs of registered patients. This will include themes from the patient engagement exercise.