HEALTH officials have revealed  that a long-awaited city   doctors’ surgery is not financially viable at the moment.

 Residents of  Beacon Heath  have been without a doctor’s  surgery for six years and claim  the lack of health provision is  putting them at risk.

Campaigners have fought for  years to prevent plans for a replacement being stalled.

As the Echo previously reported, the project has been beset with delays and now planning permission granted for the  scheme in 2006 has expired.

The latest revelation  is that  the company contracted to  provide the surgery, Southernhay House Surgery, cannot  get a loan for the scheme.

The news came as local people  demanded answers from  primary care trust bosses at a  meeting at Beacon Heath  Church on Monday.

City councillor Dilys Baldwin, who has been one of the  leading figures for the campaign, said: “The PCT went out  to contract and there were three  bids for this. It was given to  Southernhay House Surgery,  which has not provided this  area with a surgery.

 “We were promised a state-of-  the-art surgery. It costs people a  lot of money to travel to a GP  elsewhere.”

Gill Munday, manager of GP  contracts for NHS Devon, said:  “GPs are independent contractors — they are not directly employed by the PCT.

“The issue we have is that the  practice needs to take out a  mortgage to build the surgery  and the bank won’t lend it the  amount at a rate we are allowed  to reimburse.

“The practice has taken a  business decision that building  the surgery would be quite a  financial risk.”

A resident at the meeting,  who asked not to be named,  said: “It seems to me this isn’t  going to happen. The planning  permission has lapsed, there is  no funding and it will all have to  go through planning again  which will take time.”

Cllr Ian Martin, also a campaigner for the scheme, said:  “We would like to go back out to  tender. If the PCT pulls its finger out, in two years time we  will be ready to go. Young  people’s lives are at risk as a  result of the PCT doing nothing.  It has to be flexible and understand this is urgent.”

Cindy Flatt, practice manager at Southernhay House Surgery, said: “We are committed  to working with all parties on  this project.

“So far, the practice has invested in excess of £40,000 in the  project and we have new plans  drawn up ready for submission  once suitable financial arrangements can be agreed.”