Shock for patients as Derbyshire GP surgery to close for good due to not being 'fit for purpose'

The impact of a Derby GP surgery closing permanently will be “huge” – worried councillors fear.

This week, the Park Medical Practice issued a statement confirming its proposal to close its Oakwood surgery for good will happen next year.

Practice bosses say the surgery’s building on Bishops Drive is “no longer fit for purpose” and is “not suitable for handling urgent or emergency situations”.

Reported problems with the surgery include no ventilation, difficult access with a long and steep stairway to the car park and fixed desks inside “do not meet current health standards”

Patients will be able to get GP access at the practice’s other branches in Chaddesden and Borrowash when the surgery closes and there will be no impact on jobs. 

But there have been concerns what will happen to patients living in Oakwood who suffer with mobility issues. There are fears they will not be able to have access to a doctor close to their homes. 

Councillors for the area and Mid-Derbyshire MP Jonathan Davies have been in talks with the Park Medical Practice in recent months to try and seek an alternative option instead of closure.

But despite a public consultation exercise, the practice says closure of the Oakwood surgery is “a necessary step to ensure the provision of high-quality healthcare”.

Officials from the practice claim alternative branches “can be reached within a reasonable timeframe” and it is possible to reach the Chaddesden and Borrowash surgeries “by taking two buses”. But the practice said closure would have its “challenges”.

The statement said:  “Based on the findings from the patient engagement process, it is evident that the closure of Oakwood Surgery is a necessary step to ensure the provision of high-quality healthcare services in the community.

“While the decision is not without its challenges, the long-term benefits of improved healthcare infrastructure and services outweigh the immediate impacts of the surgery’s closure.”

Oakwood councillors have responded by calling it the “worst possible outcome” for the community and will work to “lessen the hit”.

A joint statement from councillors Matthew Eyre, Freya Trewhella and Jamie Mulhall said: “This is the worst possible outcome of the consultation and is the opposite of what residents, us and everyone we spoke to wanted to see. However, this was the outcome we felt was by far the most likely to take place.

“The knock-on effect of this closure will be huge. We are committed to working with everyone to lessen the hit to our neighbourhood and our residents whether that be our MP, bus companies other health providers or other partners.”

Park Medical Practice says on its website: “Patients will be informed about our final closing date in January 2026”.