Super Surgery set for Monday launch

Northcroft and St Mary's surgeries will shut their doors on Friday

The relocation of two of Newbury’s biggest surgeries into one super surgery will take place this weekend.

St Mary’s Road and Northcroft Surgeries will each close their doors for the last time on Friday at 6.30pm and all patients will be automatically transferred to a new site at Old Bath Road from Monday at 8am.

Strawberry Hill Medical Centre will be the new centre for patients previously registered at the two surgeries.

At first, in October 2014, highway officers refused to support the super surgery for fear it would have a cumulative impact on road safety but, once approved the site, which had been office buildings, went through extensive redevelopment.

The centre will have around 20,000 automatically-transferred patients on its books when it opens.

Explaining the rationale behind the move, Northcroft Surgery said in a statement: “The GP partners from both practices feel that the best way to continue to offer our patients the same excellent care is to come together to pool our collective clinical skills and resources.

“The two practices have always worked closely together as a ‘buddy’ practice and a merger between [them] gives us the opportunity to develop and expand the services we can offer. The changes will also enable us to direct resources to patient’s services. Both practices share the same values and work ethic. We are both committed to provide excellent patient care – this is our main focus.

“By merging, this also helps with the national and local problem of recruiting GPs and other clinical staff.

“We are confident that the merger is a positive move for patients and staff and we are looking forward to working together.

“We firmly believe that coming together as one practice is a positive response to the changing needs of providing a quality modern general practice.”

Surgery staff have confirmed that patient’s GPs will remain the same as before and opening hours are unchanged from the original Monday to Friday between 8am and 6.30pm.

Online booking will be unaffected for St Mary’s Road Surgery, but Northcroft patients will be sent new login details in May. The new telephone number for the super-surgery is (01635) 917917.

Parking provision at the site includes 36 parking bays made up of dedicated spaces for all doctors, three bays for diabled people and a number for visiting patients.

A bus service is also being organised for patients, but further details have yet to be confirmed.

Are you affected by the relocation? What do you make of the new surgery? Get in touch and let us know at william.walker@newburynews.co.uk