MORE than 40 angry patients, fearful for their future healthcare, confronted health boss Barbara Smith on Monday to demand answers about the future of the Marshfield Road Surgery in Chippenham.

Last week, the Gazette reported that some 3,600 patients could lose their GP if the surgery loses its NHS contract at the end of March.

Staff and patients were afraid the PCT would terminate its contract with the practice after Dr Barney Williams backed out of supplying out-of-hours cover for his patients in the autumn.

The PCT had warned the GP that his NHS contract could be brought to a close at the end of March.

On Monday, patients attended a meeting of North Wiltshire District Council's Chippenham area committee, to ask Mrs Smith, chief executive of the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Health Care Trust, about the future of the surgery.

But she was unable to tell patients if the contract was ending or not.

Because of the PCT's failure to give accurate information about the future of healthcare provision, the area committee has now agreed to call its handling of the surgery crisis to account, by referring the matter to the Health Scrutiny Committee of Wiltshire.

At the meeting, David Rowlands, acting chairman of the Friends of Marshfield Road Surgery, demanded to know if the practice was being closed at the end of March. "If yes, why have there been no negotiations?" he said.

David Wilton said: "There are a lot of elderly people living in the area. Patients of Dr Williams have no idea what they are going to be doing. This is a very serious problem."

Coun Monica Blake, who had requested the future health care of Dr Williams' patients to be added to the agenda as an emergency item, said many people wanted to know what kind of contingency measures the PCT had in place if the surgery did close.

"There could be 3,600 people running around Chippenham looking for a doctor," she said. "A lot of lists are closed. It is a matter of concern."

Mrs Smith told the meeting it was not proper for her to go into the various contractual arrangements but she tried to reassure people the PCT would ensure they had proper health care provision. She said that contingency plans were being made in case the surgery closed and that each patient would receive a letter about the arrangements.

But she added that it was not certain the practice would shut. "We are fully aware of the support Dr Williams has from a lot of patients and how strongly they feel," she said.

"As a PCT we will ensure these patients do continue to have medical cover from April 1 one way or another."

Dr Williams said he was moved by the amount of support he received at the meeting. "I didn't ask anyone to come. They came because they cared," he said.

ssingleton@newswilts.co.uk