Reeth Medical Centre reopens after weeks of uncertainty
The centre will now open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
Reeth Medical Centre has reopened after weeks of uncertainty, with staff welcomed with coffee and cake by grateful patients.
The centre has been taken over by the Wensleydale-based Central Dales Practice following the departure of former operators, Dr Mike Brookes and wife Marie, the practice manager, at the end of May.
The facility opened today (11 June) after Central Dales faced delays getting access to the building.
The centre will now open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust secured a lease for the premises from the Brookes.
Central Dales Practice announced the update on social media.
A spokesperson said: “We have keys! Thank you for your patience. Now we are in, we can get settled and provide care from Reeth as promised.”
Staff were welcomed by Deborah Kerrigan from the community group, Healthcare Alliance for Reeth Community (HARC), which has campaigned to protect local GP services since the proposed closure of the site was announced.
A spokesperson for HARC said: “We are delighted. This is the day we’ve all been waiting for.
“On behalf of the community, we’d like to officially welcome the Central Dales Practice team and wish them every success. This is an exciting new beginning, and we know people here will rally behind them and support them every step of the way.
“Many people have worked incredibly hard behind the scenes to make this happen. South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust deserves particular credit.
“They secured a five-year lease on the building and kept the doors open. Their willingness to step in shows the scale of the teamwork and commitment that has gone into securing a future for GP services in Reeth.”
The reopening of the centre comes after NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB initially announced that all patients would need to travel to Central Dales’ surgeries in Hawes or Aysgarth.
This announcement prompted widespread concern from patients concerned about travelling over high moorland roads to receive treatment.
Upper Dales councillor Yvonne Peacock welcomed
She said: “I’m delighted that after a short delay we now have a branch surgery open in Reeth.
“It’s remarkable that we’ve managed to achieve this un such a short space of time. “
GP and nurse appointments will both be available from the Reeth site.
Patients can contact Central Dales on 01969 667200.