Pendle doctors surgeries merge to cut waiting times

Health bosses at NHS East Lancashire confirmed Pendle Valley and Millside Surgery, which are both based at Yarnspinners Primary Health Care Centre, in Nelson, will join forces from Wednesday October 1.

The move is expected to benefit 1,300 patients as they will be provided with a bigger surgery, more access to eight permanent doctors and a number of health staff members, with services tailored to meet their needs.

And it will mean patients are able to see the same permanent doctor as the need for temporary locum GPs will be eliminated.

The new combined surgery will be named Pendle Valley Mill Surgery.

Dr Paul Lambden, the clinical lead GP for the new practice, said the merger will pave the way for quicker and more consistent care.

He said: “It will also be possible to provide medical services without the need for locum doctors. We know that this has been a source of frustration for some patients and by doing this, we hope to avoid a reliance on locum doctors.

“It will also ensure that patients can see the same permanent doctor that they have seen previously. The benefit of this is that patients will be able to maintain an on-going, consistent and continuous care relationship with their doctor.”

At present Millside is located on the ground floor at Yarnspinners and Pendle Valley on the first floor.

From October 1, the Millside and Pendle Valley doctors will all be based on the first floor.

The changes are being introduced after a comprehensive review by NHS East Lancashire revealed that doctors at the two surgeries thought a merger would result in ‘significant’ benefits for patients.

The move comes with additional investment in new services for the new practice.

Peter Sellars, Pendle locality manager for NHS East Lancashire, said the new practice will employ two new nurse practioners and a larger nursing team to provide a new service for patients with chronic, long term conditions such as diabetes and epilepsy.