Approximately 150 people from Mitcham have attended an emotional public meeting into the plans to close a local doctors’ surgery and the only walk in centre in Merton.

The Wilson Health Centre, in Cranmer Road, is due to close its doors on March 31, with thousands of patients being dispersed to other general practices’ around Mitcham.

Although the meeting on Tuesday, January 31, began with MP for Mitcham and Morden, Siobhain McDonagh, congratulating the packed room on proving that “Mitcham is far from apathetic” before leading the crowd in singing happy birthday to a 93-year-old man in the front row, it soon became clear that tensions were running very high among residents.

From Monday: 'A lot of people are very worried': Siobhain McDonagh MP urges re-think into closure of Wilson Health Centre the only medical practice with walk-in services in Merton

The plans for the future of the site, which were outlined by chair of Merton’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Dr Andrew Murray, include transforming it into a ‘health and wellbeing centre’, complete with some medical facilities including mental health and primary care services, as well as the addition of ‘community components’.

Wimbledon Times:

Attendance was so high that even the overspill room overspilled

These community components include arts and crafts, a job centre and an open green space for gardening and leisure activities.

However, when repeatedly pressed by residents on his assertion that there were “no plans” to build houses on the site, Dr Murray said: “If the numbers don’t add up, we might have to revisit the idea of putting housing on a strip of the site.

“We have removed housing from the plans. We are working on the premise that we won’t.

“I couldn’t currently 100 per cent rule out the fact that we might have to put housing on the site to fund the project, but we are not planning to.”

January 6: Wilson Health Centre only medical practice with walk-in services in Merton will close in March

Dr Murray also said that, as there were less than 6,000 patients registered at the GP surgery on the site, it was considered acceptable to close the surgery and relocate patients. There are currently 5,876 patients registered at the Wilson Health Centre.

Many residents spoke up in the meeting to discuss their concerns about the closure. One woman, whose husband requires oxygen and recently became ill, was treated at the walk in centre after being told by his GP he had to wait eight days for an appointment.

A 90-year-old man with Parkinsons’ disease told the crowd he used the walk in centre because he could not wait up to six days for an appointment with his GP.

Concerns were also raised about difficulties registering with new practices, a lack of parking and difficulties with public transport, the impact on those with mental health issues and learning difficulties attending the centre, added pressure to A&E and the difficulty the closure will cause for local pharmacists.

Councillor Ian Munn described himself as “rather horrified” by the plans and cast doubt on whether a planning application had been submitted to the council, saying the target of opening the new health and wellbeing centre by 2020 was “not feasible”.

However, Dr Murray insisted that the closure and redevelopment was “absolutely a joint project with the council”.

He added that Merton CCG had been awarded an extra £1 million funding from the NHS because the new plans fall in line with national government guidelines, and insisted that all surgeries in Merton would receive more investment so they could open for longer hours and deliver same day appointments.

Dr Murray said: “General practice is in a state of crisis. That’s recognised across the country. That’s not a problem just for Mitcham, it’s a problem for the country.”

Are you affected by the closure? Email letters@wimbledonguardian.co.uk