A step in the wrong direction

Phelyp Bennett: clinic’s move is a walk too far

PATIENTS are angry over the closing of the podiatry service at Crompton Health Centre.

Sufferers will have to travel to Royton health centre after the final Crompton clinic on November 18 or one of the other clinics offering the service.

Phelyp Bennett (61) believes closing the service makes no sense: “If people have a problem with their feet, it’s ridiculous to move their treatment centre further away,” he said.

“I’m fortunate that I drive, but I take my 86-year-old uncle to his appointments, and without me he would have no way of getting to Royton. There must be lots of other people in a similar situation.”

Gemma Iliadis, strategic manager for podiatry from Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, said “We always try to provide care as close to home as possible but we also have to provide services from the most appropriate clinic to ensure high-quality patient care. Our other podiatry clinics in Oldham have bigger teams and a wide range of other health services.”