A LONG-TERM provider for Circuit Lane and Priory Avenue surgeries has been found after years of uncertainty for patients.

Health chiefs announced the two 10-year contracts with OneMedicalGroup after a drawn out bid to bring stability to the practices.

The deal will see the firm take over the running of both GP surgeries from September and is hoped to help boost the service after each site was rated “requires improvement” in the last year.

Patients at Circuit Lane Surgery in Southcote have been calling for answers since the mass resignation of the team of doctors who ran the site back in 2014.

At a public meeting in March this year it was revealed the temporary contract with Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust would not be renewed.

In Caversham those registered at Priory Avenue were also left in uncertainty when it became one of the first surgeries in the country to be placed into “special measures” by the Care Quality Commission.

It has since been upgraded to “requires improvement” under a temporary contract after the NHS took over from Specialist Health Services in running the practice.

The deals with OneMedicalGroup were made public last week by the North and West Reading Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

GP chair for the group Dr Andy Ciecierski said: “The new 10-year contracts will deliver stability for both surgeries and improved service provision in line with our local strategy for primary care.

“We will be working closely with OneMedicalGroup and the existing provider to ensure a smooth transition for patients.”

Gill Rogers, chair of Circuit Lane Surgery’s patient participation group, said they awaited the finer details of the deal in a meeting with health chiefs later this week.

She added: “We are aware that OneMedical Group are going to going to take over Circuit Lane and that more information is to be provided in the near future which we will communicate once we know more.”

Rachel Beverley-Stevenson chief executive of OneMedicalGroup, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the Clinical Commissioning Group and playing our part in securing the future of these two GP surgeries.

“We have a strong track record of delivering services in other parts of the UK through new models of care that provide more holistic support to meet the needs of our patients.”

Patients are due to receive a letter confirming the changeover and confirmation that opening hours will not remain as they are.

All staff will be offered the chance to transfer to OneMedicalGroup.