CONCERNS have been raised over patient access to a new medical centre in York - as it will take patients from three current GP practices which are set to close.

The Burnholme Health and Wellbeing Campus in Tang Hall is a major project for the city council - with a new health centre taking a central position alongside a new care home, library and other facilities.

On Monday bosses from Priory Medical Group spoke to a City of York Council health committee about their plans, and heard concerns about what the move will mean for patients at Tang Hall Lane, Park View and Heworth Green surgeries.

The three practices together serve more than 20,000 patients, but under current plans would be closed and services all moved into the new Burnholme centre.

Priory’s Dr Emma Broughton said they had talked to patients, and “heat mapped” the areas people come from and their mode of transport.

Burnholme is in the epicentre of the most deprived communities they serve, she added, and was within a one mile radius of 90 per cent of the patients they look after.

“I appreciate some people will miss out and some people will gain, but ultimately we are talking about a one mile radius,” she added.

“We will be offering outreach and inreach services, but bus services are not within our gift. We would welcome your support in trying to help our population access 21st century health services.”

Dr Broughton and Priory’s managing partner Martin Eades said the group needs to find 60 per cent of the funding for the new centre, and can only do that by selling the existing properties.

Mr Eades said they were talking to York’s MPs about funding bids - and again wanted support to get some of a £2.5 billion national fund for GP investment.

He also said York struggles as many of its existing GP surgeries are in converted houses which makes dealing with growing demand and offering more services difficult. The centre they plan at Burnholme will offer more than just GP appointments, and could help patients by cutting the need for trips to hospital, he added.

The meeting also heard from Roy Wallington, the council’s project manager for Burnholme and the older people’s housing overhaul. He said the new community centre and library should be up and running by May or June this year, and work was about to start on the care home.