Surgery SOS success

A TEAM of doctors has stepped forward to save a vital village surgery which serves thousands of people in the North Somerset area.For months residents have feared the possible closure of The Surgery in Station Road, Congresbury, after GPs Dr Richard Lawson and Dr Vivian Davies announced they were retiring after more than 25 years.Rumours have been circulating around the village about possible takeovers but nothing has come to fruition and residents had begun to fear the worst.But now doctors at the Yatton Family Practice in Mendip Street have ended months of uncertainty by agreeing to take over the practice. The two surgeries will be run as 'sister' practices.Many elderly residents were afraid they may have to make long trips out of the area to get vital healthcare if the surgery closed.Dr Davies retired at the start of this year and the search for new doctors started around two years ago.Dr Lawson had said the surgery had struggled to attract someone to take over because young doctors wanted to work in bigger surgeries rather than in rural areas, partly because they are more expensive to run.Dr Lawson, who originally announced he would retire in August 2004, will carry on working on a part-time basis for around two years during a transitional period. He is well known is the village and has been working hard to make sure the vital surgery stayed open.He said: "I will stay on for a couple of days a week for a couple of years and this arrangement is planned to start in September."I'm very pleased the Yatton practice has come forward and will take over."It is a well-known local surgery with a good reputation and has a team of doctors people will trust.