Ps at a Romsey surgery have denied services are being reduced following a merger with another practice in the town.

It comes after concerns were raised by some patients at the Abbey Mead Surgery about the long-term future of the practice since its merger with Nightingale Surgery last year.

Mark Viney was one of them. “Call me cynical but looking at the location the surgery building stands in, this plot is ripe for development. Is changing the name to Abbey Well (trading name of Abbey Mead and Nightingale surgeries) and moving some of the doctors to Nightingale Surgery the start of selling off the site for housing?” he asked.

Others who don’t want to be named, fear they will have to travel across town if they are unable to get routine appointments at Abbey Mead Surgery.

One elderly lady said: “I chose Abbey Mead because it is within walking distance from my home. I would have to get a taxi to get to Nightingale Surgery which would cost me a lot of money.”

Business manager for the two surgeries Julie Davies explained that patients at both sites were full consulted about the merger.

“We held several meetings and discussed widely with patients the reason for the merger and the opportunities this would give to us to improve services,” said Julie who added that the surgeries’ workload make it difficult to provide same-day appointments.

“Doctors also provide minor operations appointments, women’s health appointments, time for training students and junior doctors and all sorts of health-related meetings and courses,” she added.

“The work we are currently carrying out is to attempt to improve the number of routine appointments we have and also hopefully be able to lengthen these complex appointments, from our usual 10 minutes, although we are not at that stage yet.”

Dr Ian Keith, vice-chairman of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Medical Committee, said the merger was about the survival of the general practice.

“General practice has never been under such pressure. We see one million people per day nationwide or 90 per cent of all contacts in the NHS.

Dr Keith, who is a partner at the town’s Alma Surgery, said there was a shortage of GPs.

“Practices nationwide and locally are facing closure under the strain, he said. New innovative ways of working are essential to safeguard the best interests of patients. The partners of these practices are trying to future proof their practices in order to keep servicing the local population with high standards of care as they have done so admirably over many years. We should be supporting their forward thinking.”