A BASINGSTOKE GP surgery is set to be taken over for the second time in two years in a few months' time.

The operators of Beggarwood Surgery, in Broadmere Road, have decided they will not continue running the surgery when their temporary contract expires in September.

North Hampshire Urgent Care (NHUC) took over the running of the surgery in 2019 after Cedar, the surgery's previous operator, walked away from its contract.

Now, in a letter to The Gazette, members of the Beggarwood Surgery Patient Participation Group have confirmed that NHUC will not seek a renewal after the temporary arrangement comes to an end in September.

"NHUC has given such great service to Beggarwood over the last 18 months and the PPG will be very sad to lose them as our medical supplier," the letter read.

"Beggarwood had an extremely difficult time two years ago when Cedar ran services into the ground and then walked away from their contract and we, your Beggarwood Surgery PPG, do not want to go back to that situation."

The body responsible for commissioning primary care services in Hampshire have confirmed that they are now "actively pursuing" a replacement operator, although one has not yet been confirmed.

Meanwhile, Basingstoke South West councillor on Hampshire County Council, Stephen Reid, has thanked NHUC after they "turned around" the surgery.

He told The Gazette: "I am so impressed by the way in which NHUC turned around what had been a bit of a disaster area beforehand.

"They turned it around by applying the correct values and putting the patients first. I can only say thank you to them.

"My hope is that the CCG will choose a supplier with the same values as NHUC so they can built on what NHUC have done and continue with a brilliant service for Beggarwood."

The future of Beggarwood surgery was at risk two years ago when operator Cedar and the North Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group decided to end the contract.

It came after the surgery was rated as inadequate by the Care Quality Commission.

But the CCG had initially struggled to find a replacement provider, until NHUC decided to take the contract.

It is a not-for-profit, community benefit society which works in partnership with the NHS, providing out of hours and weekend improved access services through Hantsdoc and 111, and has looked after patients in this area for more than 20 years.

The Hampshire, Southampton, and Isle of Wight CCG have now begun a tender process for the replacement operator to NHUC.

Dr Matt Nisbet, associate clinical director, said: “We’re really grateful to NHUC for their excellent work at Beggarwood over the last two years. This temporary arrangement comes to an end in September 2021.

“The CCG is actively pursuing a number of options to secure and improve the services provided from the Beggarwood building, and will continue to keep patients informed as and when we have further updates.”

At a similar time, Rooksdown surgerie, also run by Cedar, was left under threat after the provider ended its contracts.

Rooksdown eventually merged with Bramblys Grange.

As previously reported by The Gazette, a recent takeover of a Basingstoke surgery resulted in it closing in April.

Bermuda and Marlowe practice did not renew its contract at Shakespeare House, resulting in Bramblys Grange taking it over.

But after a build-up in short term pressures as a result of the takeover and the Covid pandemic, it was forced to shut for a day earlier this year, leaving patients in the dark.