A SURGERY in a remote rural area of the Ribble Valley is about to bid farewell to its village doctor.

Dr Andrew Brown has announced he is leaving Slaidburn Country Practice after 10 years' service on June 30 as he moves to a new practice in South Yorkshire.

Meanwhile, health chiefs have pledged to maintain services at the surgery and find a replacement as soon as possible.

Chairman of The Friends of Slaidburn Country Practice Dorothy Pearson said: "We were all very shocked and saddened that Dr Brown was moving on but we understand his reasons for leaving. We will be very sad to lose him because he is an absolutely first rate clinician. Now, we are looking to make sure services are maintained in the village and we get a replacement of a similar calibre."

Health chiefs have placed an advert in the British Medical Journal for a replacement, with a closing date of May 2.

As well as employing a traditional GP who works as an independent contractor, the health trust in charge of the practice, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Primary Care Trust, could look at recruiting a salaried GP.

The PCT's head of primary care Derek Cummins said: "There is likely to be an interim period between Dr Brown leaving and the new GP being appointed. We would like to assure villagers we will do everything we can to maintain services in the interim period, employing locum doctors."

The practice is one of only five in England and Wales to qualify for a special grant because of the remote and wide area it covers. Based at Slaidburn, it covers 1,037 patients over 137 square miles with branch surgeries in village halls in Dunsop Bridge and Bolton by Bowland.

The Friends group has been running for around 15 years and raises money for equipment at the surgery which will save people having to travel into Clitheroe for treatment. Over recent years they have bought items such as blood pressure monitors and defibrillators for use in the area's first responder scheme where volunteers back up paramedics.