A DOCTORS' surgery in Grimsby says its 4,800 patients will be offered treatment as usual – despite still having no power following a dispute over bill payments.
The Ashwood Surgery, in Weelsby View Health Centre, was thrown into chaos when the electricity was cut off on Wednesday as a long-standing legal dispute with the other five practices in the centre over the amount owed for utilities came to a head.
Despite 60 appointments being cancelled, countless other patients being turned away and the power still not being switched on, Dr Reeta Singh, pictured, GP principal at Ashwood, says the surgery is now "almost working as normal".
She added: "We have four laptops, which have been charged off-site and allow us to access patients' records and to issue prescriptions.
"We do not have lighting, but the natural light in the rooms is sufficient for us to see and treat patients and we are looking at getting our own generator.
"As far as patients are concerned, everything is almost working as normal.
"Patients should still contact us as their first port-of-call for any health issues and we are rescheduling the appointments we had to cancel on Wednesday. Our priority, as always, is patient care."
The Grimsby Telegraph has been inundated with calls from patients concerned about not being able to access the surgery.
Malcolm Stevenson, 80, of Swales Road, in Humberston, travelled to the centre for an appointment on Wednesday but was turned away.
"They said they couldn't deal with any patients and patients cannot contact them by phone because they are currently cut off," he added.
"I had a letter from my consultant regarding rheumatology and was told it was urgent and this appointment was an important date, but they said I know you've got a lot of pain in your neck and I wish I could give you something for it but I can't."
Another patient, who wished to remain anonymous, added: "There was no contingency plan on Wednesday. Patients who were ill had nothing in place."
However, North East Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group says patients can still receive primary care services by contacting the surgery as normal.
A spokeswoman added: "As it has not yet been possible to fully resolve the problems that are being experienced, the CCG has been concentrating on making sure that all patients are able to get their urgent health problems resolved.
"Our Patient Advice And Liaison Service has taken 29 calls so far, all of which have resulted in people being able to access a service to meet their needs on the same day.
"We would like to thank our local health providers – particularly Quayside walk-in centre, NAViGO and Core Care Lincs – for their help and support in making that possible."
As reported, Dr Singh told the Telegraph that the dispute dated back 18 months to when Ashwood Surgery asked to be issued with quarterly invoices for utilities.
In January, the practice received a claim for £30,000 of unpaid utility bills from the group of tenant GPs at the centre, of which Ashwood is not part.
Ashwood calculated its outstanding liability at £11,000 and the two parties have been involved in a legal wrangle ever since.
The surgery's phone lines were disconnected in January, as reported, meaning that although it can receive incoming calls, staff have to use mobile phones to make outgoing calls.
On Wednesday, through their solicitors, Dr Singh and her husband, Kit Singh, offered to pay the sum of £30,000 in a bid to resolve the dispute, while maintaining that they do not owe that amount.
Weelsby View Medical Centre had not responded to the offer at the time of going to print.
A spokesman for the centre reiterated that a civil claim was being pursued after the centre found itself in financial difficulty due to insufficient funds.
Affected patients can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 0300 3000500.
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