AROUND 18,000 patients are to move practice when a Blackburn surgery closes this Sunday.

There has been a practice in James Street for 60 years, but it is now closing due to cramped conditions at the surgery.

Patients will transfer to the care of Dr Chris Mowbray and partners Drs Alex Bristow, Maire Dervan, Matt McCarthy, Dorothea Privonitz and Kevan Tucker at Little Harwood Health Centre.

David Brunskill, director of corporate development for Blackburn with Darwen PCT, said: "The building on James Street is small and cramped and, as a listed building, offers little opportunity for development into the type of accommodation required to support modern primary health care services.

"The modern services we aim to provide nowadays involve nurses, health visitors and allied health professionals, as well as consultations with the GP.

"Consequently sufficient space is needed to be able to have more than one activity going on at the same time."

James Street, he said, also offered poor access for disabled people, and parents with young children.

"It is essential that we provide fit-for-purpose premises wherever possible.

"Competition for staff these days is fierce, so to make sure we can attract the number of high calibre staff, we need to ensure proper services are provided for local people. We need to offer appropriate accommodation and facilities."

Patients involved in the closure have been sent letters outlining the move and Little Harwood Practice booklets will be available soon. For a copy, call 01254 267000.

Mr Brunskill said: "We recognise that people have been attending the James Street surgery for many years, but the decision to close is based on the PCT's drive to constantly improve the health care we offer local people. A gradual closure is not feasible."