GP practice near Norwich thanks community for help during snow
People helped to clear paths
Reepham and Aylsham Medical Practice has praised members of the community and businesses who rallied to help clear snow and ice so that patients could attend their appointments and collect medication safely.
The practice was hit by heavy snow which covered the car parks and paths and made the surgeries difficult to access.
Wendy Dicks, practice manager, said:
"At Aylsham on Tuesday the locks to the doors at the surgery were frozen and we could not unlock the building. Coxfords Butchers came to our rescue to melt the snow with hot water to allow us to enter the building.
"Staff had tried in vain to keep the snow drifts from the paths and patients helped to move sandbags and dig the snow to clear pathways.
"At Reepham staff had also been trying to clear the paths and on Wednesday (10 February)G & R Harold of Heydon came up with machinery to clear the car park.
"Reepham is more rural than Aylsham and we are aware of the difficulties of travelling for patients and the inclement weather only impacts further on this.
"We are always grateful for their continued support to help keep us open and keep the patients safe. The car parks and paths remain hazardous and we would ask patients to be especially careful when parking and using the footpaths.
Wendy added:
"It is amazing that every year without asking patients and local businesses just pop up from nowhere to allow us to stay open and we are incredibly grateful to them."
The NHS has said it is very grateful to the many businesses, organisations and individuals who have assisted GP practices across Norfolk and Waveney during the recent snowfall.