GP staff locked out of surgery building

The entrance to the surgery has been closed, with a letter stating locks have been changed

Staff at a GP surgery in Staffordshire have been unable to get into the building after the locks were changed.

Work to resolve the lack of access to Mill View Surgery, Rocester was continuing, NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (ICB) said.

It stressed staff were working hard to make sure patients got the care they needed, adding people requiring support should call the practice as normal.

However, the ICB said it was not possible to comment further as "legal discussions are ongoing".

Surgery staff are temporarily working from a nearby shop

A letter outside the surgery states the locks have been changed following "continued unlawful occupation of the property".

Urgent access to the building would be facilitated if requested by the ICB or NHS, it adds.

Medical staff are working from a nearby photography shop, but a GP spoken to by the BBC declined to comment further on the situation.

In a post on social media on Monday, Mill View Surgery told patients to call a mobile phone number for appointments as its landline was not working, however this was later resolved.

It had earlier reassured patients that the lead GP and licence holder remained in place and the surgery would continue to run.

A letter outside the surgery states there has been "continued unlawful occupation of the property"

In a statement, the ICB said: "Staff at Mill View Surgery in Rocester are currently unable to access the surgery building and work is ongoing to resolve this as soon as possible.

"Patients who need support should phone the practice as normal and a member of staff will help.”