Eastfield Medical Centre will be able to use a clinical room at St Cecilia’s HQ from Tuesday to provide a range of services while it's main building remains closed.
Eastfield Medical Centre shut its doors in June after experiencing flooding. Amid fears it might not reopen until March, there has been a concerted push by the town's MP to find alternative ways of providing a local service to Eastfield patients.
Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume visited Eastfield Medical Centre last week as she continued her two-pronged approach towards tackling what she describes as a healthcare “emergency”.
After raising EMC’s on-going closure with Health minister Stephen Kinnock during a Westminster meeting, Ms Hume continued to liaise with key figures within her constituency during the trip to the practice.
As well as discussing the situation with representatives of its management team – having noted staff are “working incredibly hard in difficult circumstances” – Ms Hume also held talks with Mike Padgham, Executive Chairman of St Cecilia’s Care Group, after he offered EMC use of a nearby premises owned by his company to bring some services temporarily closer to local residents.
It's understood St Cecilias will make a room available at it's HQ for Eastfield Medical Practice staff to deliver some clinical services including blood tests, stitch and clip removal, routine care appointments and long-term condition reviews in the local area.
Although St Catherine’s Hospice, Brook Square and Lawrence House surgeries have also made space available to EMC, many of its near 10,000 patients find the travel distances prohibitive – forcing them to cancel appointments and miss treatment.
Ms Hume says she has pressed the building’s landlord – a company called Assura – to help speed up the repair process.
The MP, who has also been speaking to Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, said:
“The situation is intolerable for so many people, patients and staff included.
“That’s why I’ve been working hard, both on the ground in Scarborough and in Westminster, to make the right people aware of what is going on so they can help those who are feeling the brunt of this.
“It’s great to see other facilities stepping-up to try and alleviate things. It deserves highlighting too.
“The most important thing, though, is getting EMC back open and functioning properly again. I’m committed to seeing that happen and, in the meantime, make things easier for those directed affected.”
As well as encouraging influential people within her constituency to help ease the burden on EMC until repair works are completed, Ms Hume has also been raising the plight of its patients with senior politicians.
Having first briefed Mr Kinnock on the matter earlier this month, she held further discussions with his department before travelling to Eastfield; one of North Yorkshire’s most deprived areas.
Ms Hume added:
“The sooner Eastfield Medical Centre re-opens, the better it is for everyone.”
Mr Padgham said:
“I am very pleased to offer our premises to help the people of Eastfield and the local NHS staff.
“We will be very happy to help for as long as it takes and pay tribute to Eastfield Surgery staff for the way they have pulled out all the stops to continue the vital services and Alison Hume as well for her efforts.
“I am so proud of our staff who also helped the community during the covid pandemic.”
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