Hereford GP surgery update after car smashes into building

AN UPDATE has been given after a car smashed into the front of a Hereford GP surgery yesterday.

Belmont Medical Centre in Hereford was closed yesterday (June 20) after the crash, with appointments cancelled and all three emergency services called out.

Phone calls were also diverted to another service in the wake of the smash.

But in an update given to the Hereford Times yesterday afternoon, an Integrated Care Board spokesperson said telephone access will be available as normal from June 21.

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"The surgery will be converting as many appointments as possible from face-to-face to telephone appointments," the spokesperson said.

From June 21, Belmont Medical Centre will be asking that patients only come to the surgery if they have an appointment and to report to the front window for further directions.

In a message to patients yesterday, a Belmont Medical Centre spokesperson said that the closure had come, causing significant disruption to patient appointments, after "a major incident at the surgery that was beyond our control".

"Please rest assured that our team members are working tirelessly to resolve the situation as quickly as they can in order to restore normal services." the spokesperson said.

"We understand you may be disappointed and frustrated but would ask that you do not take this out on our team members.

"Everyone at the surgery is trying their best to help patients in what are extremely difficult circumstances.

"Telephone access will be restored to normal from tomorrow (21 June). However, please do not come to the surgery unless you have an appointment."

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There were no major injuries in the crash, which caused significant damage to the building.

An ambulance spokesperson told the Hereford Times that an ambulance and a paramedic officer were sent to the crash at 10.26am on June 20.

On arrival they found a woman, who was the driver of the car and a man who was in the building. Both were assessed by ambulance staff.

The driver of the car was uninjured and the man from the building had sustained minor injuries. They received self-care advice from ambulance staff before being discharged at the scene.