Following our story about St Damian's Surgery in Melksham yesterday, we have been asked to point out that patients are being consulted about its possible closure in March 2020. 
The practice managers say a further reduction in the opening hours is likely to take place in mid-January.
The move follows an extensive public consultation with patients after the initial application to close the surgery was rejected in January.
Currently, St Damian’s is open 8.30am to 12.30pm Monday–Friday and provides only routine doctor and nurse appointments. 
The Bradford on Avon & Melksham Health Partnership first submitted an application to close the branch in November last year.
Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group said in January 2019 it was ‘unable to support this application, at this time’.   
Dr Janice Patrick, Senior Partner at BoA&MHP, said: “This has been a very difficult decision for us to take. 
“Over the past year we have put a lot of measures in place to try and maintain the surgery at St Damian’s, but we find ourselves in a position where we cannot continue to provide a service in Melksham with the resources we have available to us. 
“Since January 2019 we have had to shorten the opening hours of our St Damian’s branch Surgery to provide appropriate clinical and administration hours to Bradford on Avon Health Centre.
“Since April 2019 registrations and repeat prescriptions are managed by the Bradford on Avon Health Centre or by the patients themselves online.”  
Dr Patrick added: “All emergency care is provided from our Bradford on Avon Health Centre where GPs who currently work at St Damian’s Surgery are available to maintain continuity to our Melksham patients. There has been no change to our home visit provision. 
“As a result of these changes we have seen 20 per cent of our patients move to the other two GP Practices in Melksham.”
“An increasing number of our Melksham patients are choosing to visit Bradford on Avon for their routine care. A further reduction to the opening hours is likely in mid-January 2020.  
“BoA&MHP is keen to continue to provide services to as many of the St Damian’s registered patients as wish to stay with their current GP. However, as we do with our Winsley branch surgery patients, they will be asked to travel to Bradford on Avon to receive urgent on the day care as well as our full range of services. 
“Home visits to those patients who are eligible will not be affected, however lack of transport is not a valid reason for a home visit. 
“Those patients unable to travel to Bradford on Avon will not be left without a GP, they should consider registering with one of the other two local Melksham GP practices.” 
In the last 12 months, BoAMHP , has been working closely with colleagues at Giffords Surgery and SPA Medical Centre in the newly-formed Melksham & Bradford on Avon Primary Care Network (PCN), expanding on the previous work they had started as a locality. 
Dr Patrick added: “As a Primary Care Network, we will be delivering some aspects of care at scale in the years to come via the PCN, which covers a population across both towns of circa 46,800 patients. 
“A wonderful example of working scale across the PCN is the Leg Ulcer Clinics and social café, which take place at Spencer’s Sports & Social Club, Melksham on a Thursday and St Margaret’s Hall, Bradford on Avon on a Monday. 
“Patients from all three practices are seen during these clinics, by Bradford on Avon & Melksham staff, who deliver fantastic clinical outcomes to patients across the Melksham and Bradford on Avon area. 
“Our proposal to close St Damian’s, if successful, would not result in a change to this service run from Spencer’s Sports & Social Club.”
To complete a questionnaire about the proposed closure go to https://www.boamhp.co.uk/news or visit one of the four sites in Bradford on Avon, Winsley and Melksham.