Peterborough: Surgeries To Merge

28 March 2012, 16:39 | Updated: 28 March 2012, 17:27

Plans to merge and close several GP surgeries in Peterborough have been approved.

The NHS Peterborough and NHS Cambridgeshire joint board met to approve the changes today (Wednesday).

A new 'urgent care centre', with a GP surgery, minor injury services with x-ray facilities and GP out of hours services will now be built in Peterborough as part of the plans.

The decisions that have been taken include:

  • Two large surgeries in the City Centre; 63 Lincoln Road and North Street; will be combined as one in new healthcentre premises alongside community health teams. 
  • A new building would be opened for the practice in Hampton to meet population growth.
  • New premises for Orton Bushfield practice.
  • New health centre in Dogsthorpe which will merge four smaller practices which currently have small/poor accommodation.
  • Closure of the Equitable Access Centre in Alma Road.
The NHS estimates the changes will result in savings of £1 million a year during the next three years.

According to health bosses, this money will be re-invested into 'other health priorities for the city, including meeting the cost of the population increase.'

Dr Sushil Jathanna, Chief Executive of NHS Cambridgeshire and NHS Peterborough said: "The redesigned urgent care services and the four new health centres are important steps forward in ensuring the NHS in Peterborough meets the changing needs of our growing population.

The vast majority of urgent minor health problems are managed by GP surgeries. 

This strategy makes sure GPs have the facilities to enable them to provide these and many other patient services."