A Sheffield medical centre’s future remains in doubt after the previous long-standing doctor became ill and later died.

Harold Street Medical Centre in Walkley has been managed by the Sheffield’s GP federation on a temporary contract since the previous doctor’s contract was handed back 18 months ago.

At a meeting of Sheffield City Council’s Health Scrutiny committee on March 20 Assistant Director of the NHS South Yorkshire integrated Care Board, Abigail Tebbs, said work had been done to ensure patients’ needs were met.

She said: “It has a registered population of 2500 patients. It’s worth noting that the population skews quite towards the working age male. 

“We understand this to be a product of choice and patient preference.”

The number of registered patients is low for the city, but the population of the area will be growing soon as there are planned housing developments.

Miss Tebbs said: “You can also see that 50 percent of population live around the practice.

“It is unusual to see as others live beyond the boundaries of Sheffield.”

The practice wishes to understand the needs and preferences of the population of the practice and has developed a survey to see their views.

Patient feedback included issues such as the wanting for more appointment availability, tailored care for women and easier access.

Many patients at the practice are Arabic speakers because a former GP who worked there spoke Arabic. Those patients remained at the practice.

When asked about temporary contracts, Maggie Rowe, 35, who lives close to the surgery in Walkley, but is not a patient, said: “I honestly find it a bit worrying.

“Healthcare is important, so I think it is vital to have some sort of consistency.

A Walkley resident, Jess Youngs, 23, said: “I think they could offer more online booking options or extended hours in the evenings, that way people with busier schedules could get seen when they need to.”

Many patients said that they did not want the surgery to shut. In total 270 patients replied to the practice’s survey.

Miss Tebbs said: ”We undertook the involvement during December and January. 

“Every registered patient was contacted in January and since then have received 224 sponsors.

“We have no conclusion on what we think the right answer is at this point and haven’t made any decisions.”