Staff at Withnell Health Centre are organising a celebration after defeating a private firm from taking over the contract.

Dr Ann Robinson, and councillor and former GP of Withnell Health Centre, Margaret France led a three-month long battle against Lancashire Integrated Care Board and SSP Health.

Dr Robinson, who joined the practice in 2013 when Cllr Margaret France stepped down, faced losing her surgery to SSP Health with 5,000 concerned patients lodging letters of objection to the ICB stating the surgery would be ruined under a large firm.

On February 22, the campaigners received news that the board had decided to extended Dr Robinson’s contract and apologised for not properly consulting the public about the takeover.

Councillor France said: “The staff are very happy because they’ve made it very clear they wouldn’t work if SSP took over. We’ve got a practice that is thriving and it really is heartening to see that staff have more job security and things are moving in the right direction.

“I’ve got to thank the people of Brinscall and Withnell and other surrounding areas for rallying and standing up for what they wanted and without that support we wouldn’t have achieved what we have.”

To celebrate their monumental win for the Withnell community, a party named, ‘We saved Withnell Health Centre Campaign’ is being held at Brinscall Cricket Club on Sunday, April 30.

WHC staff said: “We wanted to thank everyone involved in supporting us to fight the takeover of the surgery.

“All your emails, letters, protests and attending meetings of course, all helped to contribute to the successful outcome of getting the decision overturned keeping Dr Robinson and her team as the current service providers at Withnell Health Centre.

“We thought it would be nice to have a community celebration of this huge achievement and Brinscall Cricket Club have kindly let us use their club house and facilities to do this. This will be on Sunday, April 30 from 5.30pm to 8pm.

“The bar will be open and as a thank you your first drink will be on us. There will be a bouncy castle from the children and food will be available to buy from a pizza van.”

To help get an idea for numbers, people wanting to attend are asked to email witnhellhealthcentre@nhs.net.