ANNOYED patients near Wrexham are demanding answers to why a GP surgery has closed and a sexual health clinic relocated.

Cefn Mawr Health Centre, Crane Street, will be closing on Tuesday and relocating to the nearby clinic building.

The community sexual health clinic will be transferred to Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

Dr A Husain, the head of practice and owner of the premises, has been renting it out to the local health board since he was struck down with illness more than a year ago.

Locum GPs have stepped in to keep the surgery up and running.

John Jones, a patient at Cefn Mawr surgery, is saddened at the loss of the sexual health clinic.

“The clinic has provided a vital service to the people of Cefn and the surrounding area for sexual health services.

"It is usually well attended every Wednesday and was the only community clinic in the Wrexham Borough providing a service to the community.

“Now it is closed all services have to go to the Maelor hospital again. There is the added cost of bus fare to Wrexham as well as the prospect of no parking at the hospital because of the reduced space there.”

He added: “This has been done on the spur of the moment without consultation.”

Another patient of the surgery, who asked to be anonymous, said: “The local health board have been running it for over a year now with three or four temporary GPs.

“The patients will be disgusted at this closure with such short notice.”

A spokesman for Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board said: “Due to ill health Dr Husain has been unable to work for about 15 months and locum GPs have been providing a service at the surgery instead.

“Dr Husain, who owns the premises, informed us over Christmas that he no longer wanted us using the property, for which we had a monthly-based licence.

“The surgery will be relocating to Cefn Mawr clinic building on Tuesday, another local health board premises. However the sexual health clinic will be transferred to Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

“We’re working pretty hard to make this go smoothly and patients should notice no difference in the service.

“We will be using the same staff in the new clinic.

“We will be sending out letters to the patients in due course to inform them.”

Mrs Seema Husain, practice manager and wife of Dr Husain, declined to comment when the Leader approached her.

Appointments for the surgery can be made on the usual number of 01978 822341.