A general practice that cares for 6,000 patients in Colchester will shut next month, it has been confirmed.

Layer Road Surgery will close its doors for the final time at the end of the working day on Friday, November 10.

Patients registered with the practice will be transferred to Creffield Medical Centre from Monday, November 13.

This move is being made after Layer Road Surgery merged with North Hill Medical Group and Creffield Medical Centre in June this year to form Creffield Medical Group.

A spokeswoman for North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group said the joining of the surgeries had resulted in an increased workforce, with seven partners, 15 salaried GPs, six advanced nurse practitioners/nurse practitioners, eight nurses and seven healthcare assistants.

She added: “With this larger workforce Creffield Medical Group are able to offer patients a range of services which may not have previously been available – for example minor surgery and implant and coil fitting.”

Colchester MP Will Quince said: “It’s always regrettable when any local surgery closes but I understand patients are being registered at the Creffield Road Surgery, which is only at the end of that road.

“Of course it’s never ideal, especially when people have relationships with doctors and other things. Having met with the doctor that runs it I completely understand their reasons for closing.

“In any case there will be a transitional period and people will have to travel a little bit further and get to know new doctors so these things are never ideal but it will be a case of working it through and making sure they always put patients at the heart of any decision making.”

Creffield Medical Centre is located in Cavalry Road, less than two miles from Layer Road Surgery, in Layer Road.