Hopes are growing that primary care can continue to be provided from Reeth Medical Centre despite the retirement of the practice’s current GP.
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is in talks to lease the existing medical centre from owners Mike and Marie Brookes.
The building would then be sublet to Central Dales Practice, which has agreed to provide a branch GP service when Dr Brookes retires at the end of the month.
The update was provided by the six parish councils of Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, which are in talks with NHS officials, the Brookes and the Central Dales Practice.
A plan is being worked on to provide a service three days a week from the centre, with a GP available two days and a pharmacy service operating on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Patients have been told to expect a letter from the NHS confirming they have been transferred to Central Dales Practice.
It is understood a small number of Reeth Medical Centre’s 1,600 patients will be transferred to a GP practice in Richmond, although they would be able to transfer to Central Dales if they wished.
From June 1, patients who have transferred from Reeth Medical Centre will need to contact Central Dales by calling 01969 667200.
Due to the need to transfer medical details, patients who are due to run out of prescription in the first two weeks of June have been told to reorder with Reeth as soon as possible.
A parish council spokesperson said in a statement: “We hope this answers some of your questions but please be patient.
“Lynn (practice manager) and all the staff at the Central Dales Practice are working hard behind the scenes to finalise the last bits in preparation for June 1.”
A spokesperson for the Healthcare Alliance for Reeth Community (HARC), a community group which has also been involved in discussions, said: “Over the last ten days, HARC has attended meetings with Mike and Marie Brookes, Central Dales Practice, the network of GP practices, South Tees Trust and the ICB, all of whom are working to support efforts to save Reeth Medical Centre.
“What is clear from those discussions is that the determination to make this work is real.
“We will continue supporting the process in whatever way we can, including helping with communications and sharing local insight provided by residents.”
