THE sudden closure of The Village Surgery had 'nothing to do' with government policy and happened purely for medical reasons, Pinner residents have been told.
Speaking at the annual meeting of the Pinner Association last Wednesday, health spokesman James Kincaid praised The Pinn Medical Centre, where 7,000 former Village Surgery patients have been redirected.
In a heated exchange at the meeting in the Village Hall, attended by about 90 local residents, Mr Kincaid said: "In this particular case, it has absolutely nothing to do with government policy or local bureaucracy.
"The reason for the closure was for medical reasons, on the grounds of patient safety. I can tell you no more than that because no one is willing to talk about it."
Responding to criticism that Pinner's last remaining GP surgery is insufficient to serve the community, Mr Kincaid said: "The directors at The Pinn Medical Centre have the facilities to deal with many more patients than they do now, in fact it was built to cope with more.
"You may be very upset, as I have been, but I don't think you should take it out on The Pinn Medical Centre."
The Village Surgery closed with just two days' notice on April 1, after two of its three partners resigned. * The annual meeting also heard an appeal from Martin Verden, chairman of West House and Heath Robinson Memorial Trust, for potential tenants to come forward for an office lease at the newly completed building in Pinner Memorial Park.
Mr Verden said: "On the second floor, we have not yet succeeded in finding a tenant but it is absolutely essential that we do because we need the income stream for the whole project.
"So if anyone knows someone who can use it, please let me know.
"It is suggested it could be useful for alternative medicine."
