HEALTH bosses are looking to provide alternative care for 800 patients at a Rossendale surgery that is set to close in the New Year.

Doctors want to relocate the Dr Bachh and Partners clinic in Adelaide Street, Crawshawbooth, to Rawtenstall Health Centre, in Bacup Road, Rawtenstall, due to health and safety and disabled provisions.

The Primary Care Trust (PCT) and doctors are now looking at providing a mobile GP service for residents and transport to Rawtenstall Health Centre.

Transport arrangements for patients are also being considered. Currently there are two bus services - the X44, which runs once an hour from Monday to Friday, and the 243, which runs every 30 minutes, Monday to Friday.

A spokesman for Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale PCT said: "The doctors want to close the branch surgery for two very important reasons.

"The surgery will not comply with the General Medical Services contract and, perhaps even more importantly, it will not meet the Disability Discrimination Act which comes into effect next year.

"The branch surgery is not owned by the PCT, it's rented from a private landlord and there is no room for expansion to bring it up to the relevant regulations.

"The PCT is looking at every way it possibly can to make it as easy as possible for the patients."

Caron Parks, manager of Rawtenstall Health Centre and Branch Surgery Practice, said the practice has 806 patients.

She added: "It's definitely going to close as far as we are concerned but we will be working with the PCT to look at other options. All the patients we have spoken to about it so far don't seem to mind the move because they are going to benefit from a better facility."

Rossendale Borough Council's overview and scrutiny committee are to discuss the issue next month.