Two Aylesbury GP practices to merge citing increased workloads

Two GP surgeries in Aylesbury are merging at one new centre, Bucks Clinical Commissioning Group confirmed today (January 28).

Bucks CCG cited additional pressures placed on surgeries and a rising elderly population as the key reasons behind the move.

Berryfields Medical Centre and Meadowcroft Surgery will become one on April 1, moving into a new building.

A name change was also announced by the NHS group, the new practice will be called Berrycroft Community Health Centre (BCHC).

Both surgeries will remain open until the new site at Martin Dalby Way is ready.

Staff will be asked to relocate to the new site, but the building isn't expected to open until the summer of 2022.

A Bucks CCG spokesman said: "In recent years there have been increased pressures placed upon general practice.

"The rising elderly population, the growth in long term illnesses like diabetes and asthma and the need to move more work from hospitals into the community means that general practice needs to work in different ways to absorb this increased workload."

NHS decision-makers cited the close relationship between the two surgeries as another reason for the move.

Partner Dr Clayton said: “Both Berryfields and Meadowcroft have a growing population with increasingly complex healthcare needs.

"Merging our practices will make us more resilient, creating a stable and sustainable GP practice for the future.

"It will also mean we have a larger pool of staff and expertise to draw from and will help us work toward bringing services from hospital into the community for the convenience of patients.

"It will also give us the opportunity to reduce some of our overhead costs due to economies of scale.

"We are really excited by this change, but we would like to hear from any patients who may have views or feedback on our merger, or who have any particular questions we can answer.”

Further information is available on both the current Meadowcroft Surgery and Berryfields Medical Centre websites.

Registered patients are encouraged to share their views on the move on by filling out the following online survey, available here.

Feedback can also be mailed to the current surgeries at Berryfields Medical Centre, Colonel Grantham Avenue, Buckingham Park, Aylesbury, HP19 9AP; or Meadowcroft Surgery, Jackson Road, Aylesbury, HP19 9EX.

Responses can be emailed to [email protected] or [email protected]. Emails should include ‘merger feedback’ in the subject heading.