TOP councillors in York have expressed 'significant concern' about the risk of Bishopthorpe's only GP practice being closed - and have launched a petition calling for the closure to be reconsidered.

As reported in the Press in December, the Old School Medical Practice has applied for planning permission to double the capacity of its surgery in Copmanthorpe - so that it can take patients from Bishopthorpe too.

That's because the lease on its Bishopthorpe surgery is due to expire in mid 2024. But it would mean Bishopthorpe residents having to travel to Copmanthorpe to see a GP.

Members of the ruling Liberal Democrat group on City of York Council say they have 'significant concern' about the plans.

There is no direct bus link between the two villages, they say, so Bishopthorpe residents with no access to a car who wanted to visit their GP would have to walk to York College to catch the 840 Coastliner, or else go into York to catch the no 13 bus.

Opposition Labour councillors, meanwhile, say it 'beggars belief that somewhere the size of Bishopthorpe doesn’t justify its own GP surgery’.

Keith Massey, 78, moved to Bishopthorpe with his wife from Acaster Malbis eight years ago precisely so they could be near a GP. He was horrified when he learned the surgery could close.

"Old people can’t always drive,” he said. “We need a surgery in the centre of Bishopthorpe."

Lib Dem city councillors say they accept that the medical practice and Bishopthorpe parish council have been trying to find a location for a possible 'satellite' site in the village. But they say the efforts have so far been unsuccessful - and would anyway 'still lead to a significant reduction in the level of service'.

Cllr Nigel Ayre, the Lib Dem executive member for health integration, said: "The proposals for Bishopthorpe are extremely concerning. The requirement to travel to Copmanthorpe will leave many who don’t have access to a car without access to a GP.

“I will be contacting representatives of the practice and continuing discussions with the Integrated Care Board to ensure all possible options are explored to retain access to crucial primary care for hundreds of York residents.”

Labour, meanwhile, points out that the possible surgery closure in Bishopthorpe is just the latest in a string of other closures. Wheldrake patients are now required to travel to Elvington, while the Stockton-on-Forest surgery is also potentially at risk.

City of York Council's opposition Labour group leader, Cllr Claire Douglas, said: “It beggars belief that somewhere the size of Bishopthorpe doesn’t justify its own GP surgery. The prospect of the village’s surgery closing is a reflection of how broken the national system of GP funding is.

"It’s essential that the Liberal Democrat-led council uses its position on the Integrated Care Board to prevent what would be a disastrous outcome”.

A spokesperson for the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) said the lease on the Bishopthorpe surgery building was due to end in summer 2024.

"We understand the practice has been exploring potential options for its longer term future beyond this date," the spokesperson said. "However, no proposals or decisions have been made.”

A petition calling for the closure of the Bishopthorpe surgery to be reconsidered can be found at www.yorklibdems.org.uk/bishgp