PATIENTS will be consulted on plans to create two new surgeries after a proposal to move GPs into an Oxford community centre was abandoned.

Bury Knowle Health Centre in London Road, Headington, and Marston Medical Centre in Cherwell Drive merged in July.

There were plans to move Marston Medical Centre GPs to Northway Community Centre as Marston Medical Centre is due to close at the end of June.

But practice managers at Bury Knowle Health Centre have abandoned the idea because the centre is not considered suitable.

Now it is being proposed that Marston Medical Centre patients will be treated at two new locations – Marston Pharmacy in Old Marston Road and at a purpose-built extension to Arthur Sanctuary House on the site of the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Dr Justin Amery, a GP at Bury Knowle Health Centre, said: “Northway Community Centre is a lovely building but we realised it would not have been right for us.

“The space allocated to us on the first floor has large windows so it would not have been private and the lift and disabled access were not ideal either.

“The community association which runs the centre did not have the funds to convert the building and we did not either so it would have cost a lot and it would not have been appropriate.

“When it became apparent the plan would not work we began looking for alternative sites.”

Dr Amery said it was difficult for elderly patients to walk from Marston to Headington and GPs wanted to ensure residents continued to have a surgery near their homes.

He added: “A GP surgery will be created at the pharmacy, and the pharmacy will continue to run there as well.

“On the John Radcliffe site, an extension will be built on the side of Arthur Sanctuary House for a surgery. Marston Medical Centre shuts on June 30 and we intend to open the following day for patients at the two new locations.”

Dr Amery acknowledged there was a ‘very tight’ timetable to complete the two new surgeries.

He said: “At Marston Pharmacy it is a question of making some changes inside the building while building work is expected to start at the John Radcliffe site in the next couple of weeks.”

The GP said if the new surgeries were not ready in time patients could instead use Bury Knowle Health Centre, or surgeries at Barton and Wood Farm.

Mary Clarkson, Labour city councillor for Marston, said: “We welcome these proposals for two new surgeries and will liaise with Bury Knowle Health Centre and the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group as the plans move forward.”

Marston Medical Centre served about 5,500 patients and they will be consulted on the proposals at a meeting at the United Reformed Church hall in Marston Road, from 5pm to 7pm tomorrow.

Julie Dandridge, head of primary care and localities for OCCG, said: “I can confirm that OCCG is supporting the Bury Knowle practice in exploring options to provide local medical services for patients.

“Two potential options have been identified to date.”

Rent paid by the GP practice will help fund the building works.