New superdocs plan for Lancaster and Morecambe as GP surgeries merge

Doctors' surgeries across Morecambe and Lancaster are to merge under a plan to form the area's first ever '˜super practice'.
Heysham Primary Care CentreHeysham Primary Care Centre
Heysham Primary Care Centre

The new group will serve 62,000 patients in the district.

Coastal Medical Group – which includes Morecambe Health Centre, West End Surgery and Heysham Primary Care Centre – will join forces with Lancaster’s Meadowside Medical Practice and Owen Road Surgery – which has previously joined together with Strawberry Gardens surgery in Heysham – as well as Westgate Medical Practice to become the largest GP practice in the district.

The partnership will officially launch on April 1.

Patients have been reassured they will continue to be seen at the practice they are registered with, and by their usual healthcare team. Coastal GP partner Dr Alex Gaw said: “The NHS is facing significant, well-publicised, challenges with hospitals struggling and GP surgeries under threat of closure.

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“As a group of local GPs we are committed to continuing to play a central role in looking after and caring for our patients and their families.

“The partners at Coastal all feel the only way we can achieve this is by working more closely with our colleagues to improve and develop services and attract new doctors to the area.

“This will also allow us to better develop relationships with our community and secondary care colleagues under Better Care Together for the benefit of ourpatients.”

Fellow GP partner Dr Andy Maddox said: “By merging together we believe we will be well positioned to build a GP service that will be able to cater for the increasing complex needs of our patients and be sustainable for the future and provide career opportunities and development for staff.

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“We all feel this is the right decision and we are all very committed and enthusiastic about the opportunities it offers for the future.”

Patients now how the opportunity to give feedback on the services they receive, including GPs and nurses, appointments and opening hours.