A community worker in Ardoyne has said it's "crucial" the doors of a local GP surgery remain open.
Elaine Burns, community development worker and Centre Manager at Ardoyne Association, said the Flax Medical Centre is essential for people in the local area.
Last week, it was revealed that the surgery handed back its contract to the Department of Health. This means that unless a new GP is secured the practice, which provides health care for over 3,000 people, will close on December 31.
Read more: North Belfast GP surgery under threat of closure
The practice is located in the Flax Centre on Ardoyne Avenue and was established by Dr Tan in the early 1990s and is now led by Dr Monaghan.
The local community are now focusing on getting as many signatures as possible to a petition to keep the site open, with this having over 1,000 signatures so far.
On Friday, an outdoor public rally took place outside the Flax Medical Centre, following a well-attended public meeting last Thursday.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Elaine said the closure of the GP surgery would have a knock-on effect to local people and the local economy.
"From the last NISRA census results, Ardoyne and the bordering areas are in the top 10 across all the indicators of health inequalities, housing issues, and unemployment," she explained.
"We have one of the highest levels of people with long-term illness, people claiming disability benefits, those dealing with mental health issues. On average, people in Ardoyne die 10 years earlier than those in the Cavehill area.
"If that doesn't tell the powers that be that this area needs a GP, I don't know what does. You can't rip a GP out of this area, if that surgery closes down it's the poorest people that will either have to pay for buses or taxis to a practice they're moved to.
"If it closes, the department scatters the 3,000 patients around a 3 to 5 mile radius of where you live, that could be West Belfast or up the Antrim Road. We also know all the other GPs are under a lot of pressure and people can hardly get an appointment, let alone scattering another 3,000 people around them all.
"It's crucial because of the nature of living in Ardoyne, there is demand for these services, and it's essential they make sure they get a GP to cover.
"Our local economy will be impacted by its closure too. People come out of the doctors and they go into the chemist beside it to get their scripts, then the supermarket and post office is there too. It's local jobs being impacted too, it's all local people."
Elaine said new housing developments in the Ardoyne area mean there will be growing demand for local GP services too.
She added: "If people are new to the area, they will want to register with the local GP. It's a growing area so there's potential for growth within the service."
The community worker said the proposed closure of Flax Medical Centre, as well as a number of others around Northern Ireland, is symptomatic of a lack of funding for the health service.
Elaine said: "The healthcare system here is just crumbling at its knees. The Executive need to put their issues aside and get back around the table to discuss these important issues.
"They need to invest in GP services to make sure that's the first port of call, and that you get seen, to help reduce pressures on A&E.
"We just need to keep fighting. Our next step is to try and get as many signatures to the petition as we can.
"We're already over 1,000 signatures on the petition, then we will hand it in to the Department of Health if a GP isn't secured for the site."
Cllr Fiona Ferguson who was involved in organising the rally on Friday alongside the Ardoyne Association, said: ''The closure of Flax Medical Centre is symptomatic of the wider crisis in GP services because of under investment. Across Belfast and beyond, communities are facing a lose of services because of a lack of GPs.
''This crisis was caused by under-funding and outsourcing by successive local Health Ministers and the Tories, and the people of Ardoyne are the latest victims.
''As we have seen today and throughout the local campaign, this community is not willing to go without their GP and they are fighting back. The Trust and the Department must act swiftly to ensure this surgery stays open.
"And any incoming Minister must reverse the decade long strategy of neoliberal underfunding and cuts.
"This cannot be allowed to happen - especially in an area with high levels of health inequality.
"Even if this isn't your surgery and you won't directly lose out, those 3,000 patients will be dispersed into surgeries in the local area, adding to waiting lists which are already far too high.
"Ardoyne and North Belfast needs more medical services, not less. We know that this can be won and we know public pressure is key."
You can sign an online petition to help save the Flax Medical Centre by clicking here.
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