The American-owned company behind a controversial takeover of a Basingstoke GP partnership last year will now deliver the same services to another 13,500 residents in the town.

Operose Health have been announced as the new provider of services at Shakespeare Road Medical Practice, and they will take over from December 1.

It comes after the planned takeover of the practice by a Basingstoke-based partnership fell through because of recruitment issues, among other reasons.

Operose are owned by US healthcare giant Centene Corporation. They hit the headlines in Basingstoke last year after controversially entering into a "partnership" with the Camrose, Gillies and Hackwood (CGH) partnership of surgeries, although it was labelled a "sell out" by local councillors.

The latest takeover will mean they are responsible for the primary care services of more than 53,500 people in Basingstoke.

Dr Charlotte Hutchings, clinical lead for North and Mid Hampshire at the NHS body responsible for organising primary care services, said that it was "hugely welcome news".

She said: “This week we have signed a contract to bring in Operose Health to provide care and support to patients from the Shakespeare Road Medical Practice.

"That is hugely welcome news for both the patients and staff there, and we are already working with the new contract-holder so that they can move in seamlessly on 1 December.”

Shakespeare Road patients do not have to do anything and should not notice anything different when the contract changes.

Extra clinical and admin staff are being brought in to support the takeover in the coming weeks. It comes just months after the surgery closed because of takeover-related pressures in April.

A Q&A on the practice website says: "Much of the additional staffing will come from people who already work at Shakespeare Road and so they already know the practice, and the patients.

"The number of clinical staff available will be at least as many are required to meet national guidelines and will all be fully qualified and experienced."

Operose will hold the contract for between nine and twelve months.