PATIENTS at a Deeside doctor's surgery could be forced to relocate to another in the area.

A consultation has been launched on proposals to relocate patients registered with Queensferry Medical Practice to Quay Health Centre in Connah's Quay.

The Pierce Street surgery, which has over 8,000 registered patients, issued a statement on the matter on its website.

It says: "Queensferry Medical Centre is looking at the various options available for providing you the best service possible.

"Currently the practice struggles to develop the variety of services we need to meet the changing needs of our patients due to the limitations of our current buildings."

The news comes just a day after grave concerns were raised about the quality of service offered St Mark's Dee View surgery - which shares the same building as the Quay Health Centre.

The concerns came after the surgery shut suddenly on Monday - prompting an apology from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

A letter addressed to patients of the Queensferry Medical Centre says: "We dearly wish to continue to offer high quality services but in a more sustainable way.

"As you may be aware, we have had to make hard choices and changes to the way we work in recent years. This is due to the NHS being under unprecedented pressure and GP services in particular are not coping with demand over the country as a whole.

"As an illustration, we have several Health board managed practices nearby where GPs have handed in their notice and temporary doctors and locums now look after the patients. This is not to the benefit of anyone."

It adds: "What makes us so vulnerable is the construction of our current premises and working over the two buildings. Everything is duplicated and we simply do not have the staffing and capacity to continue in this way and most of all with the increase of patients we do not have the space within our current buildings to meet the demand.

"After considering a number of different options, we have not been able to come up with a viable alternative arrangement that would enable us to improve the situation and provide a safe and appropriate standard of care in our current building.

"Therefore, we have decided that we have no option but to propose to move to an alternative site, which is The Quay Health Centre, Fron Road, Connah’s Quay.

"We understand this may be potentially upsetting and worrying for you our patients and so we want to reassure you that there will not be any adverse effect to services.

"We want to hear your feedback. Overall, we believe this proposed change will strengthen the practice as a whole, result in better use of GP time to meet patients’ needs and enable us to provide a better overall service to our patients.

"However, before we make any decision on the future of the surgery, we want to engage with you our patients and other local people, organisations and officials.

"The results of this engagement will be presented to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s Primary Care Panel. If you have any queries or comments please contact the North Wales Community Health Council who are an independent organisation gathering feedback on our behalf – all comments will be in confidence."

People can send their comments to yourvoice@wales.nhs.uk or Mrs Carol Williams, Deputy Chief Officer, North Wales Community Health Council, 11 Llys Castan, Ffordd Y Parc, Parc Menai, Bangor, LL57 4FH

Alyn and Deeside MS Jack Sargeant said he is seeking to speak to the practice to further understand proposals and how they'll affect local people.

He said: "I am also keen to hear the thoughts of local residents and will use their views to inform my work on the matter going forward.”