A LOCAL doctors’ surgery is to become the first in the area to be taken over by Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

The trust provides services ranging from community hospitals including Minehead and Williton to mental health inpatient wards.

And it was approached by Lister House Surgery in Wiveliscombe and Milverton after it was unable to recruit new GPs due to a national shortage.

The move is due to be signed on August 1, following months of work between the surgery, the trust and NHS England which holds the contract for the surgery.

“This is good news for patients and means primary care services are protected for the local area,” said the trust’s medical director Dr Andrew Dayani.

Full story in the Free Press