Doctors needed to take over Whitchurch surgery

An appeal has been launched to find clinicians to run Richmond House surgery after its lease on its Station Road home runs out in October.

Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group is seeking expressions of interest from local providers that could deliver medical services under 'caretaker arrangements'. Officials say caretaker arrangements allow primary care medical services to continue to be delivered to patients for a minimum of 18 months until a long-term service delivery can be completed.

The deadline for people to express an interest by is next Monday.

North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson says he is concerned about the tight timescale that an organisation needs to be found in. He said: "I am concerned. We have an urgent need for doctors to express an interest in running the practice by next week. Last autumn I was assured there was a contingency plan in place. I was therefore surprised to hear in April that the practice intended to close.

"I hope local doctors will express an interest as soon as possible so the 4,000 patients who rely on the service are not affected."

Previously health bosses have said plans were being developed with all three of the town's GP practices – Richmond House, Dodington and Bridgewater – to ensure that local people continue to have access to a GP in Whitchurch now and in the future.

It had been hoped Richmond House would merge with Bridgewater Medical Practice to form a GP hub at the town's community hospital in Claypit Street.

But the project, which had received a £2 million grant from the Government, has not progressed quickly enough for the move to be made later this year.

Any parties wishing to express an interest to provide this service are asked to do so in writing, via email to jane.ibbs@nhs.net at by no later than 5pm on Monday, August 1. Visit www.shropshireccg.nhs.uk