A ‘no longer viable’ Bath doctors surgery is set to be converted into six flats.

Oldfield Surgery in Upper Oldfield Park and St James’ Surgery in Northampton Buildings joined forces on April 1st and formed the Heart of Bath. The merger was preceded by the announcement that the Number 18 Surgery, also on Upper Oldfield Park, will close at the end of September because of ‘recruitment issues and financial pressures’. Patients and staff are being transferred to the other two surgeries.

According to the application, the Number 18 Surgery closed due to falling patient numbers, the proximity of other larger surgeries nearby and changes to NHS funding structures.

It also said the premises, which has been used as a surgery since 1982, is too small to allow for the range of primary care services necessary to render the practice competitive, and it had been unable to attract new partners to replace those who had recently retired.

Formerly a house, the Number 18 Surgery has been adapted to changing NHS and Care Quality Commission requirements. At ‘considerable expense’, a lift has been installed to serve all three storeys, washable floors have been added to the treatment rooms and the fireplaces have been removed.

The application says: “The closure of this relatively small GP practice is part of a wider NHS strategy which aims to concentrate provision, with primary health care delivered from fewer, larger, multi-disciplinary and purpose-built facilities.”

The site will be converted into three one-bed properties and three flats with two bedrooms. The number of parking spaces will be cut from seven to six. Approving the application by delegated powers, B&NES Council officers said the target would be nine bays but the ‘highly sustainable’ location and secure storage for eight bikes made the lower number acceptable.

The plans say the development will deliver a community infrastructure levy of around £50,000 to mitigate its impact on the existing infrastructure. A letter included in the application said Oldfield Surgery is set to benefit from investment. It said: “Within the plan is an allocation of funding to develop a new facility at 45 Oldfield Park. This will provide significantly improved facilities for all the residents of Bath, not just those registered with the surgery currently located there.”

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The letter says there could be further mergers or closer collaborations between surgeries over the next few years.