Rowlands Gill Medical Centre, closed by vandals since May, is not expected to reopen for at least five weeks as repair work gets under way.
Extensive Damage from Vandals
The centre has been shut since May 8 after vandals prised off its lead roof panelling, exposing the interior to torrential rainfall. Nearly three months on, health chiefs have confirmed repairs are underway, but the building will not be ready for at least five weeks due to the extent of the damage.
ICB Statement
A statement from the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) said: "This has been a difficult time for the practice team, and they are working exceptionally hard to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.
"Unfortunately, vandals removed vital lead and slats from the roof the same night as a huge rainstorm that was severe enough to cause floods in some areas. As a result, there is serious damage to the roof structure, electrics, ceilings, plasterwork and equipment.
"The practice does not own the building, so it has taken time to work through a lot of detailed issues with the landlord, insurance company and other services.
"Following approvals from the insurer, work is now underway, but the level of damage means the building will not be ready for at least five weeks.
"Sadly, this has caused disruption for both patients and the staff team, but everyone is pulling out all the stops to bring the building back into use as soon as possible."
Practice Apologises
A statement from Rowlands Gill Medical Practice said: "We apologise for the disruption to services and would like to reassure our patients that we are doing everything we can to resolve the problems.
"There is a huge amount of work to do, and staff have been coming in at weekends and on days off to keep things moving.
"The contractors are now making progress on fixing the roof, plastering, replacing ceiling tiles, and fixing a number of electrical issues before the team is then able to reorganise equipment and systems, get a deep clean and prepare for reopening.
"We continue to provide extra welfare checks and home visits for vulnerable patients and have increased staffing levels at our other sites. We look forward to getting back to normal as soon as we possibly can, and thank everyone for their patience and understanding.
"If you are worried about yourself or someone else, please do call us on the usual practice number."
