A doctors' surgery site at risk of closure could stay open if it is absorbed by another practice, health bosses have said.

Abbotsbury Road Surgery, which operates out of sites in Weymouth and Chickerell, will close permanently in March 2019.

The Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) made the sudden announcement last month.

Although the main Abbotsbury Road premises is going to close, there is hope for the Chickerell branch on Lower Way as the NHS body revealed its plans to retain the site at a public drop-in session.

Members of CCG staff were on hand at Willowbed Hall yesterday to speak to residents about the future of GP services in the area, sparking a mixed reaction from those who went along.

People were told that the Lower Way branch could remain open until another new site has been built, and the CCG said it is in talks with other surgeries about taking over the premises.

Staff were also urging patients at the surgery not to register with other practices until they have a definitive plan in place.

Ian Brooke, who lives in Southill, said: “I’m obviously concerned at the fact that a surgery that we have been with for many years has had to close because they can’t get new doctors to take the jobs.

“Hopefully the CCG can get this in hand. They seem to know what they are doing. What I don’t want is to have to move to another surgery in a different part of town.”

Diane Goodenough, who lives in Chickerell, said “her mind is at rest” after hearing what the CCG had to say.

However others were not so convinced, with some saying they still felt in the dark about the future of their health services.

Claire Squires said: “If they can’t recruit new GPs it means longer waiting lists. It doesn’t matter how you distribute the patients, it’s still going to put pressure on GPs in other surgeries.

“For people who aren’t financially stable or don’t drive a car, they won’t be able to afford getting to another surgery. They might decide against going to get something minor checked out, which could turn into something major.”

After the session, people were handed leaflets from the CCG with assurances that they will be “fully informed” about any key progress made.

CCG LOOKING AT OPTIONS

Dorset CCG’s senior primary care lead says Abbotsbury Road is “probably the biggest surgery closure in Dorset.”

Chris Emblen said the main priority of the NHS body now is to make sure patients can be safely relocated to other surgeries.

He said: “9,000 patients is a huge number. As the surgery handed back its contract to us, we now have to manage the safe transfer of these patients to other practices. We are working with other practices in the area to understand what they need to do to expand.”

Mr Emblen said that the CCG is also working with Dorset County Council to ensure a new surgery would be easily accessible to residents.

He added: “Our medium term plan is to work with planners, residents and the rest of the NHS to look at options for a new surgery for Chickerell.

“In five years’ time it is going to have doubled in size. We’re currently assessing the feasibility of six or seven different options.”