Hospital move date is set for GP practice

Alterations have taken place on the ground floor of the hospital, run by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, to develop new purpose-built consultation rooms for the GP practice.

Urgent appointments only will be available at Longframlington and Harbottle surgeries tomorrow with help available with transport if required. Patients needing to arrange an appointment on this day should contact 01665 570311 or 01669 620339.

Normal service from the new premises will resume on Monday.

The presence of the GP practice does not affect outpatient and community services currently provided within the hospital and there is no change to other areas. The GP practice move – put forward due to an increase in patient numbers meaning the existing Market Place premises are now inadequate ­– follows engagement with practice patients.

It will mean improved accessibility to the ground-floor clinical rooms and benefit patients by having an improved environment in a modern, purpose-built facility, closer integration between GPs and other healthcare professionals and parking.

In February, The Rothbury Practice joined Northumbria Primary Care, a pioneering partnership between Northumbria Healthcare and local GPs, to provide professional support services to primary care.

The Trust says that The Rothbury Practice move predates and is not linked to the provision of inpatient services at the hospital, the future of which is being considered by the Secretary of State for Health. The 12 inpatient beds have been closed since September 2016.