Patients celebrate as GP surgery saved
Sarah CaldecottCampaigners are celebrating after a community's GP surgery was saved.
Thousands of St Helen Auckland residents signed a petition in 2025 calling for the local medical practice near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, to stay open after warning it could leave elderly patients isolated.
Auckland Medical Group, which manages the site, previously said the building was "not fit for purpose" as it did not meet accessibility requirements and was too costly to repair.
Now the Integrated Care Board (ICB) has ruled the branch surgery will remain open.
Corridors and consulting rooms were described as being in poor condition, with accessibility issues throughout the building for paramedic teams.
The 4,000 people registered at the current surgery were told facilities in Toft Hill and Bishop Auckland were better suited.
But residents repeatedly urged health officials to "save our surgery" with a 2,500-signature petition handed over in April 2025.
LDRSAn NHS ICB spokesperson said they had considered the increased number of people living in the area due to new housing developments, potential new leisure facilities and improvements to the road infrastructure.
"The feedback from patients, rurality of the area, access to transport links and alternative services were also taken into consideration," they said.
"The practice will work with the responsible NHS organisations (ICB) to look at any available funds to optimise the existing building."
Dale Daniel, a resident who took part in the local campaign, thanked former county councillors Rob Yorke and the late George Smith for their work in preventing the closure.
He said: "Thank you to all the community who signed the petition and the brilliant support of the folks who turned out to the two public meetings, they asked common sense questions and were a credit to the village.
"A community that has over 4,000 patients and growing deserve a surgery."
