Dozens of patients at a surgery under threat of closure have come forward with suggestions for NHS bosses on how to keep its services in the area.
People attending a drop-in session at Toftwood Medical Centre in Dereham have expressed their anger over plans to close the practice next year and demanded NHS bosses look at alternative options.
NHS Norfolk and Waveney announced it was considering closing the practice since its contract with the surgery is due to expire next year.
It said the reason for reviewing the service was that the building was too small and in need of investment.
However, since the area is expected to see a growth in housing development in the coming years, those who attended the drop-in session on Tuesday disagreed with the option to use the other two medical centres.
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Paul Deamer said he feels "bitter" about the news.
He said: "This practice takes care of hundreds of elderly people but there are lots of people who can't make the walk into the town to the other surgeries and who can't be here today.
"They are the ones we need to be thinking about."
Len Kilburn, 77, said: "I feel very angry. I've been at this surgery for 18 years and closing it would be a catastrophe."
Vanda Alexander said: "They've had many years under an expired lease, so I've asked whether the practice could stay until the NHS has found a new place to go.
"I hope they'll listen to us," she added.
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Other suggestions made to try keep the service in the town in some form included repurposing the former Sure Start Centre, or developing land near the Fred Nicholson School or brown field sites around the area.
It was also mentioned to use the bungalow behind the Wellbeing Pharmacy, which is believed to be empty.
Many at the meeting praised the surgery for the "excellent" service it offers its patients and the convenience of having the pharmacy on the same site.
Carole Williams said: "This practice is really important and the service is excellent."
Richard Spencer said: "It's so upsetting. What will happen to the chemist as well? It's worse now getting an appointment."
However, Mona Nasser, the leaseholder who was present at the meeting, said: "Of course I want the service to stay. We want to have a one-stop shop because there aren't enough services here."
The contract between the NHS bosses and the practice is set to expire at the end of March next year and for one person, who asked to remain anonymous, six months to find a solution seemed to short.
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Another concern raised was for the future of the staff currently working at the practice.
A healthcare assistant who had been working at Toftwood Medical Centre for nine years, said: "We're pretty distraught. It's all good for patients to go to other surgeries but there's no guarantee that staff will be taken on as well."
A spokesman for the NHS Norfolk and Waveney said: "The ICB has invested in the building, intervening over the years to resolve immediate maintenance issues to ensure services can continue to be provided safely.
"However, without a new lease in place we cannot make the size of investment that is really needed to ensure the building is fit for the future.
"No decision has been about the future of Toftwood Medical Centre and we would encourage people to respond to the consultation."
The next drop-in session will be held on November 5 between 10am and 1pm.
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