A WOKINGHAM surgery is set to remain open with a GP service despite residents’ fears over its future.
Following the uncertainty into the future of the Burham Hills Surgery in Ashridge after a GP retired, a petition was launched gaining more than 200 signatures.
In recent months, it has been operating as a vaccination centre following the retirement of Dr Ishac Jalisi, with patients being seen for appointments at Wokingham Medical Centre in Rose Street.
Speaking to Wokingham.Today, Cllr Charles Margetts, lead member for adult services and public health at Wokingham Borough Council, has confirmed GP services are scheduled to resume.
“We have had a commitment from Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Wokingham Medical Centre (WMC) that the surgery will reopen, with a GP, from the end of March,” he said.
Burma Hills Surgery currently has around 2,000 patients on their books, and residents were concerned the WMC did not have the capacity to accommodate them.
Cllr Margetts believes the disruption could have been avoided if clearer communication was provided to those registered at Burma Hills.
He explained: “Communication of this issue has been poor and it must be improved to avoid this happening again.”
Cllr Margetts continued: “The Berkshire West CCG has to be more proactive in providing better communication for residents and the council will be watching carefully to ensure problems like this don’t arise again.”
For more on this story, see next week’s print edition of Wokingham Today.
