A former Somerset doctors’ surgery could reopen as a ‘health hub’, providing a range of NHS services before the end of the year.

The Victoria Park Medical Centre in Bridgwater closed its doors on August 11, 2021, as “ongoing clinical staffing shortages” reduced the number of services which could be safely provided on site.

The Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) consulted with local residents and former patients over the summer, with NHS bosses hinting in March that the site could reopen as a “health and well-being hub” if GP services could not be re-procured.

Health officials have now confirmed that the site will reopen as a ‘health hub’ before the end of the year – but that GP services would not be offered on the site.

Michael Bainbridge, head of primary care development in Somerset said: “It’s fair to say that the preference of many would be for a new GP surgery to be based there, and we looked closely at whether this would be possible.

“Having looked at this in some depth, we concluded sadly that it would not be possible to procure new GP services at the site, but we could respond to the needs of the community by providing a range of services on the site.

“Work is now ongoing to secure those services ahead of the site reopening in a couple of months.”

All patients who were registered at Victoria Park Medical Centre were transferred to other GP surgeries in the town, with efforts to merge the practice with another in Bridgwater proving to be “undeliverable”.

Mr Bainbridge did not specify what new services would be offered within the health hub, but said the NHS had “invested significant resources of both staff and money to secure a  viable long-term future” for the site.

The new health hub will be operated jointly by the Bridgwater primary care network, comprising nine GP surgeries in and around Bridgwater, and the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which operates Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton and the county’s community hospitals.