‘A huge disappointment’: Ripon GP surgery responds after being removed from proposed merger

Last year, the NHS proposed merging the city’s Ripon Spa Surgery with North House Surgery and Park Street Surgery.

However, in an update sent to patients on Friday, partners at Park Street Surgery and North House said they will be moving forward with the merger but without Ripon Spa Surgery.

This was after they said it was found to be in after it was found to be in an “unexpectedly poor financial position” during the due diligence process.

The partners at Ripon Spa Surgery have now issued a joint statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that outlined their sadness at the decision.

They sought to reassure patients that the practice remains financially viable and said bosses are looking to make improvements in the coming months.

Dr Charles McEvoy, Dr Penny McEvoy, Dr Matt Mielcarek and managing partner Samantha Miles said: “Due to the extremely difficult financial climate that general practice is facing, along with some specific challenges we have faced in the past couple of years, it will not be possible to bring our finances in line with the other practices in Ripon in time for the merger to proceed as planned.

“Although we still wanted to be part of the merger, it is with heavy hearts that we must acknowledge North House and Park Street’s decision not to proceed.

"This is truly sad and a huge disappointment for us, but we must emphasise that we remain financially viable as a business and will be working hard to improve the situation over the coming months.

“We are already discussing the way forward, both as a partnership and as a practice team, in order that we can continue to provide a service to our patients and safeguard the future of our practice for staff and patients alike.”

The merger between North House Surgery and Park Street Surgery will take place before October 2024.

The new practice will be called Fountains Health.

The two practices will close for four afternoons over the next six months so staff can be brought together to prepare for the merger.