Willingdon doctors’ surgery to close amid calls for new medical centre

Dr Mike Sharp is the senior GP at Downlands Medical Centre and says land needs to be made available soon for a new surgery especially as the surgery at The Triangle in Lower Willingdon is shutting its doors at the end of October due to the landlord only offering a long lease.

The GP’s call echoes the opinions of medics, politicians and residents who say a new medical centre is essential bearing in mind hundreds of new homes are being built in Willingdon, Polegate and on the outskirts of Hailsham.

Dr Sharp says the issue has been burning away for 10 years with no solution and land needs to be found urgently.

Plans for a medical centre are included in a blueprint for a 700 home development at Hindsland and Morning Mills Farm on Eastbourne Road but that is still in the early planning stages.

Dr Sharp said, “Hundreds of homes are being built in the area and we are picking up the patients. Our list is growing and we do not have the room at Polegate. We are potentially looking at seeing patients in portacabins. We are going to be extremely cramped. We need a purpose built centre – and soon.”

Both local MPs are backing the doctors.

Polegate MP Maria Caulfield said, “I am working with the two local GP practices to urgently find a solution and a site for a new medial hub for Polegate. We have a meeting in the next week with stakeholders to see how we can urgently help the GPs find a solution to ensure they can continue to provide medical services in Polegate. As a growing town it is vital the residents of Polegate have the state of art medical facilities they deserve and GPs have the premises they need.”

Willingdon MP Stephen Lloyd said, “We’re working to find a suitable site for a new medical centre.”