An "expanding" Suffolk town is planned to "sadly" have three GP surgeries at one location.

Some patients are worried by Hardwicke House Group Practice replacing its Hardwicke House, Meadow Lane and Great Cornard surgeries with one location in Sudbury.

Glen Harding Payne said for him Great Cornard is already a "good and convenient" GP practice and is worried by only one surgery replacing all three at the lorry park site adjacent to the Waitrose supermarket.

He added: "It’s convenient and rarely have I ever waited for an appointment. It does require an upgrade but sadly it’s closing as part of the relocation/consolidation of services to Sudbury under Hardwicke's proposal for a new combined surgery."

Maria Beamont said: "We just want accessible healthcare where we can see our GPs face to face, not long waiting times. This just throws a smokescreen over the mess we're in."

And Andrew Porter-Howe questioned the whole idea, saying: "Don't we already have a state-of-the-art medical centre. Why do we need another?"

Many also had no issue with the care they are currently receiving in the "expanding" town.

Ellen Murphy said: "The town is expanding too quickly. It is very difficult for surgeries to keep up with increased demand. There is not a bank of GPs waiting to fill posts in Sudbury. Recruitment takes time. Add Covid to the mix - but on the whole, we are quite lucky in our area."

Paula Coe said she could not "fault" the practice.

She added: "Even during lockdown they did a brilliant job, they did phone consultations and would see you if they needed to do a physical examination, all swiftly done, and referrals made quickly to hospitals. [It has been a ] first-class service from all their team."

Doctors say a mixture of 33 clinical spaces, training and education facilities, as well as an on-site pharmacy, is planned for the new site after the sale of the land off Station Road was agreed with Babergh District Council.

For more information about their proposals, and to look at the draft plans, please visit hardwickehousegpbuild.com.

You can provide feedback on the site or through paper copies at the surgery before November 1. Virtual meetings will also take place at 6pm on Thursday, September 23 and at 5pm on Thursday, October 21.