A FAILING GP surgery in the borough could close next year after two doctors were removed from senior positions.

Around 4,700 patients at Golborne Health Centre could be affected by the move, which NHS bosses say would be "in the best interests of patient safety and care".

The practice was deemed "inadequate" by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in August, having made "insufficient" improvement since being put into special measures last year.

Inspectors found patients needing high-risk medicines were not being monitored appropriately, with most medication reviews taking place while the surgery was closed.

Practice managers Dr Abubaker Anis and Dr Yasmin Anis have since had their contract revoked by Wigan Borough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

While there are plans to keep the surgery open by employing a temporary GP, patients have been told that closure remains a possibility.

Dr Tim Dalton, a local GP and chair of the CCG, said: “We have not taken this decision lightly, but we want to improve care for the patients at this practice as quickly as possible.

“We have written to all patients at the practice to update them on our decision and what this means and to ask for their feedback on what the future of the practice should be. 

“Their thoughts, concerns and experiences are an important part of this and so I urge them to read the letter and tell us what they think.”

Golborne Health Centre was put in special measures in October 2018 after the CQC found continual breaches of regulation from a previous visit.

These findings, combined with the CCG’s own review into care at the practice, led to the termination of the contract with Drs Anis and Anis.

The letter sent to patients reads: “This decision was made in the best interests of patient safety and care and is part of our plan to make sure that all patients get high quality GP services.”

A decision on the surgery’s future will be made on Tuesday, November 5.

If the CCG decides to close the surgery, patients will be relocated to another local practice, but this process is not expected to start until January 2020.

Those affected have been asked to attend drop-in sessions at All Saints Catholic Club in Golborne on Tuesday, October 15 between 11.30am and 1.30pm, or on Thursday, October 17 from 6pm to 8pm.