A CAMPAIGN to save a Billericay GP surgery at the centre of merger plans has gained “significant momentum” including more than 2,000 signatures and support from an MP. 

South Green Surgery, in Grange Road, Billericay, has been told it must vacate its current premises by March next year and a consultation is underway over a proposed merger with the New Surgery – 1.6miles away in Stock Road. 

Concerned residents strongly oppose the move and a physical petition created by resident Justine Norris, 55, has been well backed. 

Campaign - Phil Turner, Justine Norris and Andy Barnes Campaign - Phil Turner, Justine Norris and Andy Barnes (Image: Andrew Schrader)


Tory councillor Andrew Sheldon has now launched an online petition while Basildon and Billericay Tory MP, Richard Holden, has called for health secretary Wes Streeting to meet him to “ensure that other facilities can be provided.”

Justine said: “I feel the campaign is really getting somewhere, I would love to know what is going to happen, why it can’t stay there. Why can’t we pay for it? It is in the perfect place already. I got 500 signatures on Sunday and on Saturday I got a couple hundred more, I going to try again this Saturday and keep going, I have 2000 hand collected signatures now.”

Billericay East Tory councillor, Andy Barnes, has praised Mr Holden for raising the issue in parliament and has gone out on the street with Justine and Billericay West Tory councillor Phil Turner to help the petition. 

Getting signatures - Justine Norris Getting signatures - Justine Norris (Image: Justine Norris) Surgery - South Green Surgery Surgery - South Green Surgery (Image: Google Maps)


He said: “This has picked up momentum, when me, Justine and Phil were out, the response has been universally supportive.

“No one thinks we should leave South Green without a surgery and no one blames the surgery either, their landlord has the right to do what they want with the property. We as a council need to look to see if we can get it relocated elsewhere.

“I have to give credit where it is due to Richard Holden, there has been a clear uptick in the profile of the issue today.”

Bosses at South Green Surgery wrote to residents to say they had attempted to find another location nearby but had been unsuccessful. Visit change.org/p/save-south-green-gp-surgery.