Unity Healthcare, which has 26,500 patients and serves Haverhill, Long Melford and Lavenham, will merge with Glemsford Surgery next month.

Starting from Wednesday, December 3, Glemsford Surgery will be overseen by the Suffolk GP Federation, after previously being managed by the West Suffolk NHS Foundation.

A spokesman for NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board said the Glemsford Surgery will remain open to patients, with "face-to-face appointments where appropriate."

Dr David Brandon, clinical lead at Unity Healthcare, said: “By bringing our teams together we can offer patients access to a broader set of health professionals and make it easier to get the care they need. Services for Unity patients will continue as usual.”

Dr Melissa St Ledger, clinical lead at Glemsford Surgery, said: “We know change can raise questions. Glemsford will stay open and patients will still be able to be seen at the surgery. Working with Suffolk GP Federation will help us strengthen local GP services.”

Ed Garratt OBE (Image: Supplied)

Details of an engagement event will be shared with patients to ask questions and give feedback.

Patients are encouraged to use these routes to keep phone lines available for clinical enquiries.

Ed Garratt OBE, chief executive of the Suffolk and North East Essex ICB, said: “The GP Federation has done a magnificent job in Haverhill, Long Melford and Lavenham and patient access, quality, safety, and clinical care are vastly improved since it took over Unity.

"I am confident that they will now drive improvements too for patients and staff at the Glemsford Surgery.”