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Jeremy Corbyn, the Rev Peter Oluwajoye and patients outside Islington Primary Care Trust HQ
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Protests as surgery shuts after death of popular GP
Patients pressing for re-opening threaten to go to High Court
ANGRY patients plan to go to the High Court in an attempt to force a health authority to re-open their doctor’s surgery.
Medicine House Practice, in Seven Sisters Road, Finsbury Park, closed just days after popular GP Dr Mrigendra Nandi died from a heart attack last month
Protesters blamed health chiefs for “taking the cheaper option”, rather than providing a replacement GP.
The High Court action was agreed on Monday after talks which Islington North Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn and Pentecostal church minister the Rev Peter Oluwajoye – a patient at the surgery – had with Islington Primary Care Trust broke down.
It emerged this week that there had been no consultation about closure with the surgery’s 1,800 patients. Many have still not been offered a new GP.
Five staff, including a part-time locum doctor, lost their jobs. Dr Nandi’s widow Rina, the practice manager, is supporting the campaign to re-open the surgery.
Mr Oluwajoye, from the New Covenant Church in Hawley Road, Camden Town, is helping to lead the campaign. He said: “The PCT says they are doing this in the interests of patients. But no patients were consulted. They are refusing to re-open our surgery so we will take court action.”
He paid tribute to Dr Nandi as one of those “old-fashioned, listening doctors” who didn’t just prescribe medicine and then hurry out the door. “He cared about his patients,” said Mr Oluwajoye. “And as a result he made them well with love.”
Mr Corbyn said the PCT closed the surgery even though there had been an offer by a doctor from the practice to run it.
“The PCT could, if they wished, continue manning the practice themselves for 35 days, during which time there could have been discussions with patients deciding what they wanted to do,” he added.
“Instead, there was an obsession to close the surgery down. We decided either we accepted the closure or we take legal advice. This closure was not properly considered.”
Hairdresser Zoy Jilikita, a patient at the surgery for 20 years, said: “Dr Nandi was a very good GP and we all miss him. The surgery belongs to the community.”
Plumber Andreous Propromous, 65, a patient for 43 years, said: “All my family went there, my children and my grandchildren. We do not want a new surgery. We want them to open our old one.”
Islington PCT has said nearby doctors will take on patients who live in their catchment areas.
Chief executive Rachel Tyndall said: “We had hoped to agree with the practice that the contract would continue for another month, allowing us more time to make arrangements. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to reach an agreement and this left us with no option but to find a new doctor for the patients.”
Patients with concerns can call Islington PCT’s help-line on 020 7527 1182/1183/1184.
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