NO FORCED closure or relocation of doctors' surgeries in Blackpool -- guaranteed.

That's what directors of your Primary Care Trust (PCT) in Blackpool have publicly promised. Health chiefs have absolutely ruled out any move to build six massive 'primary care centres'.

Six firm guarantees were made by Blackpool GP, Dr Steve Cushing, at Layton area forum on Tuesday evening.

Dr Cushing, also chairman of the trust's professional executive committee, announced: "The first guarantee is no practice will be forced to close or move.

"The second guarantee that we give is that no practice will have pressure exerted on it by the primary care trust to fall into line.

"The third guarantee we give is that if a practice does relocate, we will works as closely as we possibly can with local transport services to make sure there is good access to any new surgery premises.

"The fourth guarantee, and it's absolutely sacrosanct, is that patients will be able to see the doctor of their choice."

In some cases, he said, this 'might be from a different premises', but if that was the case, patients could expect a wider choice of services.

"The fifth thing, you will still be greeted by a receptionist that you know -- unless of course they have changed jobs in the meantime. The sixth guarantee which we give you is this is not a cost cutting exercise."

Instead, 'significant sums of money' would be invested to provide a 'range and quality' of health services, he said.

The promises were made as part of a PCT presentation to around 40 residents at the forum at Boundary School, Dinmore Avenue, Grange Park.

Wendy Swift, chief executive of the PCT, added: "There is no plan to close all the surgeries in Blackpool. Neither is there a plan to build six primary care centres in Blackpool."