Patients heard the reasons behind plans to close their GP surgery at a public meeting.

The meeting at Twydall Holy Trinity Church, Twydall, was filled with concerned residents.

Medway Clinical Commissioning Group outlined its proposal to merge DMC Branch Surgery Twydall and the Sunlight Centre Surgery, Gillingham with Balmoral Centre in Gillingham, The Pentagon in Chatham and St Mary’s Island Surgery, as GP service provider contracts for surgeries across the Towns are coming to an end.

This was the second public meeting, following a passionate, three hour event at the Sunlight Centre.

Four representatives from the CCG were present including chairman Dr Peter Green.

Patients heard the Twydall surgery would close.

The CCG said it would commit to a regular blood clinic staying in Twydall but its location is undetermined.

People repeatedly expressed they felt unsafe walking through Balmoral Gardens to attend the healthy living centre.

Director of Primary Care Transformation Tracy Rouse said: "It's a real concern and it's something we are going to bring up with the council and work on how to make the area safer."

Chief Operating Officer Stuart Jeffery explained they were expanding the walk-in clinic at Medway Maritime Hospital.

Mr Jeffery said: "We started working at expanding the walk-in clinic at the hospital.

"As soon as patients get through the door, if they need GP services we can direct them to the walk-in clinic and that's proving to be quite affective.

"Then people don't have to go to A&E, they're getting the primary care and aren't using up services which aren't specialised to their needs."

Many patients, both at the Sunlight surgery and Twydall, believe it is unfair that St Mary's Island Surgery stays open as it is less accessible.

Mrs Rouse said: "There are no alternative surgeries on St Mary's Island, and that surgery has a wide reach around the Medway Tunnel."

Head of the Patient Participation Group at the Sunlight Centre Kevin Jasper invited the CCG on a bus trip to from the Sunlight Centre, to the Balmoral Centre and then to Twydall DMC, to which they agreed.

The CCG also reassured patients that they would be able to re-register at other surgeries in Twydall, especially Waltham Road Medical Centre, Waltham Road Twydall.

To end the meeting campaigners Hazel Browne and Mark Prenter gave in a petition urging the CCG not to close the surgery.

To read what was discussed at the Sunlight Centre Surgery meeting click here.