WYLAM residents are being encouraged to air their views about plans to relocate one of the village’s GP surgeries.

The Riversdale Surgery on Woodcroft Road, in Wylam, announced last year that it would launch an engagement process about proposals to close the surgery and relocate to another branch of the practice, at Oaklands Health Centre on Front Street, Prudhoe.

The surgery is one of two in Wylam, with the White Medical Group, based in Ponteland, also having a branch in the village.

At the time, Drs Knapton, Miller and Donaldson Partners said the reasons for the decision included the ageing premises, recent Care Quality Commission inspections which highlighted the non-purpose built structure of the building, and lack of parking and traffic issues.

The engagement process ended on September 11 last year.

The proposals prompted backlash from some members of the community and The Wylam Surgeries Users Group was formed.

Chris Wharton, of the group, said: “With the potential closure of the Riversdale surgery in Wylam, patients are being asked to travel to the other Riversdale surgery in Prudhoe, but they may find this difficult or even impossible for reasons of health, mobility, age or financial constraint.”

Now Healthwatch, an independent organisation which aims to make voices heard on issues to do with health and social care, has announced it will be in Wylam this weekend to gather feedback from residents about the plans.

It said it can pass information on to the NHS Northumberland CCG’s Primary Care Commissioning Committee, which will make the final decision.

A spokesperson for NHS Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group said: “Riversdale Surgery’s application to close and relocate its services to Prudhoe has been initially assessed by NHS England and the practice has been informed of the additional information required before it can be progressed further.

“NHS Northumberland CCG’s Primary Care Commissioning Committee will take local views, including feedback from HealthWatch Northumberland, into account when it considers the final business case, in a meeting that will be held in public.”

Representatives from Healthwatch will be at the coffee morning at Wylam Institute, on Church Road, on Saturday from 10am to hear from residents.