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Apr

Last Updated: 25/04/2024

Health

Ripon GP surgery excluded from merger due to 'poor financial position'

by Lauren Ryan

| 08 Apr, 2024

Plans to merge three Ripon doctors’ surgeries have been limited to two surgeries after it was revealed the third practice was in a “poor financial position”.

A proposed merger between North House Surgery, Park Street Surgery and Ripon Spa Surgery was scheduled to happen on July 1, 2024.

North House Surgery said at the time the move would improve patient care, safeguard healthcare in Ripon, enable patients to have a stronger voice and trigger economies of scale.

But a social media post signed by North House partners Dr Kate Dickinson, Dr Peter Johnson and Dr Hannah Thomas on Friday revealed only two of the surgeries — North House and Park Street — will now merge. They will become known as Fountains Health.

Spa Surgery will no longer be involved.

The post said:

“Unfortunately, during the due diligence process, Ripon Spa Surgery were found to be in an unexpectedly poor financial position. They have permitted us to share this sensitive piece of information. As a result of this situation North House and Park Street partners do not feel able to merge with Ripon Spa at this time and so they will no longer be involved in the merger process.

"This is hugely disappointing for all concerned as we have all been working closely on these plans for some time and everyone had been looking forward to working together as part of a larger combined team at Fountains Health. We still believe that a merger between North House Surgery and Park Street Surgery is a positive option for our practice, its patients and our staff."

The merger has now been delayed until October this year due to the change in plans.

North Spa Surgery said:

“The proposed date to merge has been put back to October 2024 to allow us extra time to complete the work that is now needed to enable a smooth merger for both our patients and staff.

"To help us achieve this, there will be four afternoons over the next six months when the two practices will need to close so that staff can be brought together to complete this important work. During these times, patients will have access to the out of hours service. We will provide a further update to patients on the progress of the merger in the summer.”

No further details on what will happen to Spa Surgery patients were revealed in the post.

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Ripon GP surgery excluded from merger due to 'poor financial position'

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