Merger of two GPs practices in Harrogate after 'long months of dedication and hard work'

The Partners of Park Parade Surgery and East Parade Surgery believe the launch of a new combined practice called Strayside Health will mean it will safeguard them for the future benefit of patients.

In an official statement, they said: “It’s been a long few months of dedication and hard work but the Partners believe that creating a single, larger practice will allow us to pool the skills of our wonderful team members to create a truly sustainable organisation that is equipped to survive and thrive in the NHS of the future.”

The two GPs surgeries have been working on the same floor in Harrogate following the original move to Mowbray Square Medical Centre in 2009 whose creation brought together four separate surgeries in an £8 million development.

Since that time, they have chaired back office staff including medical secretaries, clinical administration, and data quality teams.

In 2021, they also began to share nursing teams.

But the merger has taken longer than first expected.

The official opening of Strayside Health took place yesterday, Wednesday at Mowbray Square Medical Centre with Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Tom Gordon in attendance.

A statement by the Partners explained that they had hoped, initially, to launch the merger last October.

But, it added, “the background work we’ve done so far has identified we need to move the merger date to April 2025.”

The merger had been designed to be a smooth as possible for current patients who are being advised that they don’t need to do anything as all patients will transfer automatically to Strayside Health.

But Strayside Health adds, if anyone wishes to change, they should explore choices based on the patient’s address and the catchment areas of the local practices.

Explaining the process, Strayside Health said: “We want to ensure that our merger is streamlined so that our patients and staff are confident that the new practice’s systems and processes are robust and that the transition is as smooth as possible.”

For more information, visit: https://www.eastparadesurgery.co.uk/