Campaigners have organised a festive celebration of Burnham-on-Crouch's NHS surgery, after expressing concern about the future of the GP Practice.

The celebration, taking place at the surgery's current Foundry Lane site, is organised for Saturday, December 23.

The Burnham 'Save Our Surgery' group will encourage residents to sign a Christmas card for the staff at the current surgery site.

This event comes in response to a position statement released by Burnham on Crouch's NHS surgery, in which it responded to claims that the surgery will be moving to a different site.

The statement encouraged residents towards a Healthwatch survey while stating its intention to move the surgery facility to a "new building in a new location".

However Burnham's 'Save Our Surgery' action group says that this statement does not do enough to answer resident's concerns. They say they feel "misled" by decision-makers.

A spokesperson for the group told Nub News: "We have asked the GP practice to set up a better-quality assessment to explore a wider range of options for the surgery and to make sure patients are involved in every stage".

Burnham Resident David Kennedy added: "Health bosses must stop wasting time and effort on justifying a relocation that has no merits. They are risking the next 20 years of good health care in the Dengie". 

Decision-makers maintain that no definitive plan has been made. 

Healthwatch Essex told Nub News: "We have ensured that there are plenty of opportunities for the public to give us their feedback. In addition to answering the survey questions; there is the option to be contacted within the surgery itself, the Information and Guidance team will be onsite for face-to-face engagement during January and our contact details are being widely promoted so that patients can get in touch however they prefer.

"We will continue to listen to the patients' voice and ensure that the surgery listens to the lived experience of its patients."