PATIENTS views are being sought following the announcement of a proposed GP merger.

As previously reported in The Gazette, the Gillies and Overbridge Medical Partnership, in Brighton Hill, Camrose Medical Partnership, in South Ham, and The Hackwood Partnership, in Essex Road, are intending to merge later this year.

The move to provide a more cost-effective service would affect more than 44,000 patients.

With the proposal looking to advance, the North Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which is responsible for delivering healthcare services in the Basingstoke area, is asking patients to give their views on how they would like to see the merger carried out.

A spokesperson for the North Hampshire CCG said: “The Clinical Commissioning Group is aware of the three practice’s current discussions around a possible merger and their intention to explore how they can provide more services in the local area through their three sites.

“The three practices have been seeking the views of their patients and we are waiting to see more detail of these in due course.

“Our published Estates and Primary Care Strategy sets out our plans for healthcare provision across the local area.”

This comes after the proposal came in for some criticism from councilors claiming it was a “money saving scheme”.

However, the people behind the proposed merger said that extensive public engagement and an agreement from NHS England is needed for the merger to get the green light.

If agreed, the new primary care unit will be called Acorn Health Partnership.

The primary care home programme was launched by NHS England in October 2015 and has since been expanded to more than 160 sites.

To find out more about the merger, go to camrosemedical.co.uk/2018/01/08/the-primary-care-home-tri-practice.