GP services to return to Harbottle in rural Northumberland

Following the closure of the Harbottle surgery in August, NHS England has said that some services will be put back into the village after negotiations with a neighbouring practice.

Under the proposals, a GP will operate from the premises two half days a week from October 19th. Two half-day nurse sessions per week will also operate from the Harbottle surgery.

Harbottle will operate as a branch surgery of The Rothbury Practice, so all patients wishing to access appointments will need to live within The Rothbury Practice catchment area and register with the main surgery.

Registration with The Rothbury Practice also means patients will have access to appointments there five days a week and every third Thursday late night appointments until 7:30pm.

Patients who do not live within The Rothbury Practice catchment area will need to register with an alternative practice, such as Bellingham. Arrangements have been made for the small number of patients who live in the upper Coquetdale area, who do not live within any other practice boundaries, to register with Rothbury.

The new service will be for an initial period of 12 months, allowing NHS England and Northumberland CCG to carry out a detailed assessment of local primary care needs and to consult more widely on longer term options.