ABOUT 150 villagers packed a public meeting over plans to close a doctors surgery.
The Rippingale Surgery Closure Action Group organised the meeting after the New Springwells Practice wrote to NHS Lincolnshire proposing to close its surgery in the village on January 31.
On Tuesday night villagers were reassured the closure would
not take place this month because more time was needed for the practice to agree changes to its NHS contract.
Jim Latham, of Miller's Close, Rippingale, is a member of the action group which formed after an initial public meeting in November.
He said: "This is clearly a very complicated issue.
"What concerns us is that a lot seems to be happening behind the scenes and 600 patients, including a high proportion of elderly and disabled, have a right to be told about their future medical care."
Staff from the practice and NHS Lincolnshire's deputy director of strategic planning Jim Heys attended the meeting.
Mr Heys reassured patients that they would be involved in a consultation process.
Practice manager Christine Schofield said the practice set the January 31 deadline because it wanted to move forward with its negotiations with the NHS.
She said: "We will work with NHS Lincolnshire while we come to a decision. A survey will be sent out to patients to ask them what they want."
Closure plans were first announced in November. The practice said it would need to make alterations to the building to improve disabled access and patient confidentiality and to provide a full range of services if it were to remain in the village. But the practice says it cannot make any changes because it only rents the premises in Station Street.
Patients would be accom-modated at the practice's main surgery in Billingborough, which has just been granted planning permission for an extension. This will include a dispensary and two new treatment rooms and could be finished by April. More staff may also be taken on.
Mrs Schofield said no jobs would be lost and that home visits would still be made to housebound people in Rippingale.
"I know the surgery will no longer be on their doorstep but we are still very accessible," she added.
