THE main concern for patients viewing plans for a new "super" surgery in Hereford was whether they would still be able to see their GP.

Plans for a new purpose-built doctors surgery next to the railway station were displayed in Hereford Town Hall last week.

Put forward by the Hereford Medical Group, the building would be a base for Greyfriars, Moorfield House (including Aylestone Hill branch surgery) and Sarum House.

It would also provide a larger range of services to patients across Hereford city, which could include community services and clinics, for example, district nursing, health visiting teams and physiotherapy.

There would also be "spokes" of the model at the other GP surgeries in the city and patients of these practices could be referred to the central hub for additional services and more specialist treatment, such as minor surgery.

Dr Jonny Duffett, a GP partner at Moorfield House Surgery, said the main concern for people who came to look at the plans was whether they would get to see their GP and not whether their surgery would be near to their home.

He said at Moorfield House Surgery in Edgar Street there are two downstairs rooms yet there are 1,500 patients on their books.

He said: "We are struggling to get people into there and out of there. This hub will be accessible with good transport links to it. In terms of seeing a regular doctor you will hopefully be able to continue to request to see a doctor. It will be on a larger scale."

As for the buildings which the practices are moving out of, they will be sold.

Dr Duffett said: "We actually had conversations with the council about that and maximising residential space within the city." He said they could be used for student accommodation.

The new building will be owned by the healthcare property company, Prime.

Bob Smaylen, development director for Prime said: "Part of Prime’s role is to secure value-for money private funding for the project.

"Once the building is complete it will be leased to the Hereford Medical Group. Unlike a PFI agreement this finance arrangement will not tie the practice to any contractors, facility management or service providers, allowing flexibility for the surgery to be run in the most cost-effective manner for the duration of is use."

Currently the GP surgeries are owned by doctors who are partners at the practice and who have invested.

Dr Duffett said: "Why don't GPs continue to own it? One of the issues is the current cohort of new GPs don't want to be involved in property. If I am attracting GPs in they won't come here. They are more likely to come in and take the role at a new modern surgery which they don't have to buy."

They hope to submit a planning application by the end of this month and if planning permission is given building could start this year and be ready at end of 2019.