HEALTH managers are soon to decide whether afternoon sessions can be reinstated at a village surgery.

Bosses at Helsby Health Centre decided a year ago to close the surgery in Elton in the afternoons on grounds of cost.

But Elton residents are still fighting the closure, which they say hits the elderly and those without transport.

Nikki Osborne, head of service delivery at Cheshire West Primary Care Trust (PCT), met Elton Parish Council to discuss the situation.

Frank Griffiths, council chairman, said: 'We believe the PCT want to resolve the problem and they are on our side and feel that the surgery should be opened all day, five days a week. They are going to negotiate with the group practice to try and get the surgery reinstated but there needs to be some sort of compromise.'

He added: 'I think it's a terrible situation. We actually sold the land to the group practice for a very reasonable price to enable us to have a surgery five days a week, at a very small rent because of the facilities they were offering, and we feel terribly let down.'

Elton resident Roy Povey suggested that as Helsby Health Centre on Lower Robin Hood Lane was 'bursting at the seams' and planning to extend, they could solve the problem by using Elton.

Mr Povey, of Willow Grove, said: 'There are three consulting rooms and Helsby are saying they have got more doctors than space. It doesn't cost you £66,000 to use the facilities that are readily available in Elton.

'Elton is a lovely place. The last thing we want is a reduction in the facilities we have. If we have to use Helsby then so be it but it seems strange that one is complaining about space. Why spend money if there is a facility in Elton?'

Helsby Health Centre practice manager Chris Ashbrook said he had e-mailed the PCT to arrange a meeting to discuss the surgery in Elton.

He added: 'There are a number of factors behind the closure of Elton, not just accommodation. It is not a simple matter of transferring matters back there because that would involve the old problems. We were running two surgeries full time and to do that we need more staff.

'I am aware of the views of Elton patients and we have approached the PCT and there is a meeting which I am trying to arrange to discuss the Elton question.'