Seasalter Surgery in Whitstable is facing closure over concerns it is "considerably underused".

The GP practice in Faversham Road is one of four that make up Whitstable Medical Practice - together with Estuary View Medical Centre, Whitstable Health Centre and Chestfield Medical Centre.

But bosses say GP and nurse appointments are going unused at Seasalter Surgery - while the three other main sites are experiencing an increasing pressure on appointments.

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Now, Whitstable Medical Practice is considering making an application to the Canterbury and Coastal Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to close the surgery.

Dr Rezina Sakel is currently the only GP who sees patients at the practice in Seasalter, which she uses part-time.

In a letter to patients, she wrote: "A number of GP appointments and almost half of the nurse appointments are being unused every week.

"The vast majority of my patients now prefer to see me at Whitstable Health Centre as they can also access other services which are available there.

"The nurses and I feel strongly that continuing to keep the Seasalter site open would be detrimental to patient care."

Dr John Ribchester, senior and executive partner at Whitstable Medical Practice, stressed that Seasalter staff would be relocated to other practices and not made redundant.

He said: "It's a much better use of doctors and nurses to be somewhere they're fully booked.

"The ward of Seasalter has got 7,000 patients - only 600 are currently using it down there.

"Very often they go there because they're told 'we're fully booked up here - you can either see us here tomorrow or the next day, or be seen in Seasalter today'. So the true number of people that prefer to use it is even lower.
"At Estuary View, we can offer ultrasounds, x-rays, echocardiograms, operations, outpatients and screening services - so a lot of people think 'I'll leave the 1960s behind and go to Estuary View, or another practice'."

A consultation has now been launched to gauge how patients would feel about the surgery's closure.

So far, the idea has received backing from a number of patients, with one writing: "I fully agree with the closure. As a patient who no longer drives, I prefer to attend Estuary View as the bus service is much better."

Another said that on the one occasion they attended the surgery, they found the premises to be cramped and ill-suited.

"The rooms are far too small - I was sitting on top of the doctor, virtually," they wrote. "The waiting area is like sitting in a goldfish bowl. No privacy to the outside world."

But others have branded the proposal "a joke".

One resident posted on Facebook: "Patients should be able to be offered appointments at Seasalter when their own surgery is full, at least for an urgent problem.

"There are so many small surgeries being shut down nationally. Why should Whitstable's small surgery be another part of this worrying trend?"

Another added: "We use the surgery and pharmacy. Surely with the continued house-building in the area, there is going to be an increased need to reduce the pressure at the larger surgeries."

Several have questioned how patients - particularly those who are elderly or do not drive - would reach other practices.

One commenter said: "Seasalter has a much higher than average over 65-year-old population - be interesting to see how those without transport will manage that hill."

But bosses do not see access as a problem. They estimate it takes four minutes by car, or 20 minutes on foot, to reach Estuary View from Seasalter Surgery - and say services such as the volunteer car scheme run by local charity Red Zebra will help those unable to make the journey.

Responses to the consultation will be collated over the next month and will then be presented to the CCG, which will decide whether to close the surgery.

An engagement event is running at Whitstable Health Centre this Wednesday (June 19) from 2pm until 6.30pm, when representatives from both the practice team and the CCG will be available to answer questions.

Alternatively, have your say by emailing info.wmp@nhs.net.

Read more: All the latest news from Whitstable