PLANS to shut a Nythe GPs surgery have been blasted by councillors – fearful that elderly patients will be left stranded.

Although it is a 20 minute walk from Nythe Surgery to the Eldene Health Centre where patients will now be seen by doctors, councillors say less mobile patients will be forced to take two buses to make the mile-long journey.

Councillor Bob Wright slammed the closure, telling a meeting of the borough’s health scrutiny committee: “Those people who need the surgery the most are straightaway at a disadvantage. For those who rely on public transport, this is an absolute disaster for them.”

Health chiefs said that they were aware of the transport difficulties – and were working to address the problems.

Paul Vater of Swindon NHS Clinical Commissioning Group said: “We’re working very closely with the practice on the transport issue, particularly at options around volunteer drivers and organisations such as dial-a-ride that can help with awkward travel for some residents.

“Also, home visiting would be possible for those who really cannot get to the surgery. We are also in touch with the bus company around what could their future provision look like to help reduce some of the awkwardness.”

Thamesdown, which manages bus services 2 and 14 that connect Nythe and Eldene, said they had looked at ways the firm could help – but admitted it would not be an “easy fix”.

General manager Alex Chutter previously told the Swindon Advertiser: “With our current review about to come into effect, I would be reluctant to make further changes right now, but I will give very careful consideration to this suggestion ahead of our next review.”

Earlier this month, Stratton St Margaret Parish Councillor Barrie Jennings raised concerns about the ability of older patients to get to the new health centre themselves.

He said: “A lot of the people who use Nythe Surgery are elderly – indeed, there is quite a concentration of elderly people in Nythe, Covingham and Coleview.

“What they are being asked to do is travel over a mile to the new surgery, but many of them don’t drive and there is no transport that goes down that way.”