A GP practice in Liverpool has had to reduce the number of appointments it can provide after a fire caused ‘significant damage’ to its premises.
Four fire engines rushed to Kensington Health Centre on Saturday last week as Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service received reports of a fire on the building’s roof.
Residents and businesses nearby were told to close windows and doors as there was ‘a large amount of smoke in the area’, while crews gained access to the roof to inspect the fire, which was extinguished after about two and a half hours.
The fire and rescue service determined the cause of the fire ‘was accidental’, due to an ‘electrical event’ in the roof.
Now Beacon Health, which is based at the health centre, has said that the fire caused ‘significant damage’ to their section of the building and that ‘a large number of rooms are currently out of use’.
In a statement, GP partners Dr Robert McGuire, Dr Menna Cooper and Dr John Hulligan said: ‘Although, thankfully, no-one was hurt in the fire, it has caused significant damage to the section of the building used by Beacon Health.
‘We are pleased to report that we can continue to provide services from Beacon Health, and if you have a booked appointment this week, you should attend as usual unless we contact you.
‘However, as a large number of the rooms are now currently out of use, we have no choice but to provide a more limited service while repairs are made by the building managers.
‘If you contact Beacon Health for a new appointment, you will find that fewer are available, so you may have a longer wait, or be offered a telephone appointment where appropriate.’
The practice said that it ‘doing its utmost to continue to offer the best service’ that it can following the fire and asked patients to be patient as it endeavours to get back to normal.
‘We would like to express our sincere thanks to the fire brigade and the police for their work in bringing the fire under control, keeping the public safe, and assessing the damage afterwards,’ the statement added.
Last year, a practice in Leicester had to remain closed for at least three months after its roof collapsed due to ‘catastrophic’ flooding.
And research by the RCGP found that four in 10 (40%) GP practice staff describe their premises as ‘unfit for purpose’.
