A STATE-OF-THE-ART medical centre due to open next week is now in jeopardy because of NHS bureaucracy, according to a group of County Durham GPs.

Work on the £2.3m premises in Wheatley Hill, County Durham, is due to be completed next week.

But GPs from the Phoenix Medical Group, County Durham, say the future of the buildings - as well as the future viability of the practice as a whole – has been put in doubt because the NHS Property Services is refusing to honour a previous agreement on financing of the new centre.

Senior Partner Dr Koko Naing said: “This is purely down to NHS bureaucracy. The changes in the NHS have fragmented decision making and the patients in the end will suffer as this new premises and the future viability of the practice is now at risk.”

According to the practice, the GPs were given approval to build a new medical centre back in February 2012.

They were also asked by the NHS commissioning organisation – then known as County Durham Primary Care Trust – to build space for services to move out of hospital and community based services.

The new facility would replace a run-down GP surgery and an old clinic.

The practice insists that terms were agreed so they would pay back the cost of the bank loan over 25 years.

But according to the practice the NHSPS has told them there had been a change in policy and the 25-year lease is no longer available.

In the view of the practice, a compromise offer of a 15-year lease from the NHSPS does not secure the building occupancy for the last ten years.

A spokesman at NHS Property Services, said:"Representatives from NHS Property Services have had a number of meetings as part of attempts to find a solution to the practice’s lease arrangements. Meetings have been held with the practice, the local MP and other CCG colleagues to explore alternative proposals, and we are making progress.

“NHS Property Services inherited a range of legacy schemes from 161 predecessor NHS organisations, including this scheme. These have taken some time to review and we have had to make changes so that all property transactions deliver best value for the NHS and the taxpayer, which of course is ultimately of benefit to patients.

“We believe that the alternative proposals that we have put forward represent professional best practice and as we attempt to resolve this issue, we have also referred the matter to the Department of Health who have agreed to review it.”