HATHERLEIGH will have a GP surgery back in the town in time for Christmas, it has been revealed.

A change of use application to convert the old NatWest building on Bridge Street has been approved by West Devon Borough Council (WDBC).

Ruby Country Medical Group (RCMG) said the surgery will be up and running by early December.

Work is now pressing ahead to convert the building – previously earmarked for community use – into a ‘fit for purpose GP surgery’.

Dr Andrew Brown, GP partner at Holsworthy Medical Centre, said: ‘We’re very pleased to have formal planning approval for the changes and we are excited to see the opening of the new surgery at Hatherleigh which will give our patients full-time access to a new building and facilities five days a week.’

The new surgery will have a large waiting area, three consulting rooms, a nurse’s room, dispensary, treatment room and a large waiting area.

The news has been welcomed by patients in Hatherleigh, who have been having to travel to Holsworthy to see a doctor since July.

Beech House Surgery in Shebbear has also been closed since this time, with patients in the village also having to make the journey to Holsworthy, for both appointments and prescriptions.

The problems occurred after an eleventh hour hiccup in the transferral of the practices in Hatherleigh and Shebbear from retiring GP Dr Francis Fernandez last summer.

Both practice buildings, owned by Dr Fernandez, were supposed to be transferred to the new practice, but a disagreement meant this never happened.

A spokesperson for NHS England said work was ongoing to find new premises for a surgery in Shebbear.

‘Various discussions have been held with Ruby Country Medical Group, Shebbear Parish Council, Geoffrey Cox MP, NHS England and the Clinical Commissioning Group around the future of premises within Shebbear village,’ said a spokesman. ‘This continues to be a delicate process and we will continue to update with any news.’