Patients of Abbotsbury Road Surgery have been given reassurances by NHS bosses after finding out which practice they will be transferred to once it closes.

As reported, patients have been sent letters telling them which local GP practice they will be assigned to following the announcement that the long-running surgery will close at the end of March,

Abbotsbury Road serves around 9,000 patients in Weymouth and Chickerell.

A drop-in session held at Chickerell Primary Academy on Wednesday night saw GPs from local practices, as well as staff from the NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), sit down to hear patients’ concerns and answer questions.

It sparked positive reactions from those who attended, with many people saying they felt better after attending the drop-in.

Sharon Guppy, a Weymouth resident, said: “I have been with Abbotsbury Road Surgery for a long time so when I had a letter through the door saying I would be going to Lanehouse I was concerned. Today I have been told I can still go to Chickerell, so it isn’t as daunting as it seemed.

“My mum and dad use the surgery and they were feeling the same. Now I can go home and tell them there’s nothing to worry about.”

Vanessa Hayes, who lives in Chickerell, will be transferred to a practice in Wyke Regis. She said: “It was unnerving when we were in No Man’s Land and didn’t know what was going on, but I think it’s going to produce a better service than what we had before.

“Let’s hope what has been promised to us comes to fruition.”

Alan and Joan Mirams say the drop-in session made them feel reassured.

Mr Mirams said: “It's informing us of what I thought - that we would be assigned to another surgery and told in due time, and that's what's happened. It's unfortunate but it has to happen. It's been as smooth as it could be."

In October, Dorset CCG received formal notice from the GP partners at Abbotsbury Road Surgery of their decision to terminate their contract. Since then it has worked to keep patients updated with what is happening.

Dr Karen Kirkham, a local GP and the Dorset CCG locality chair for Weymouth and Portland, said: "We realise patients might find this scary and difficult, and people like to be with their family doctor.

"We are trying to make this as straightforward and clinically safe as possible. The way we've allocated patients is to try and keep families together, and to make sure they are allocated their nearest or next nearest surgery where possible.

"We ask them to stay with their new surgery until the end of March. At the end of March, if there are extenuating circumstances, patients will have a choice to move."