GAZETTE & HERALD: PATIENTS of the Cantax Surgery in Lacock have been dealt a blow by health bosses who agreed to the closure of the surgery at the end of March.

The GPs who run the surgery applied to close the surgery because they say the building they use is outdated and does not comply with Health and Safety legislation or have disabled access.

Despite objections from Wiltshire County Council's health overview and scrutiny committee, West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust agreed to the closure.

The trust met last Thursday at Winsley and six patients were there, some of whom spoke against the closure plans.

The surgery has 350 registered patients and 186 people signed a petition against the closure.

The closure will mean patients will have to travel to the GPs' main practice at the Spa Medical Centre in Melksham.

Dick Tonge, district councillor for Lacock, told the meeting: "It seems to people in Lacock that no-one is listening. It takes three hours by bus from Lacock to Melksham and back to Lacock."

Coun Tonge said the GPs visited Lackham College to provide a medical service to students and said they drove through Lacock to get to Lackham. He also said the GPs had turned down offers by the National Trust to use alternative premises in Lacock.

Coun Tonge added: "There are far more vulnerable older people in Lacock and there are also young families."

Debra Elliott, director of planning and development at the trust, said 70 per cent of patients attend the surgery for repeat prescriptions.

She said that the GP practice had secured an agreement with Boots the Chemist for it to deliver repeat prescriptions to patients in Lacock.

She said closure was being recommended because the building was not safe and did not comply with health and safety legislation.

She also said there were concerns about the drug dispenser at the practice working alone.

John Taylor, 74, represented Lacock Parish Council at meetings throughout the campaign to save the surgery. He said: "I think the closure was a foregone conclusion.

"Correspondence I have seen regarding the future of the surgery, point to the fact that the decision was made far in advance of yesterday's meeting and all the other meetings, including Wiltshire County Council's scrutiny committee, which supported our bid to keep the surgery open."