WORRIES over the shortage of GPs, an ageing population and underfunding have inspired doctors across the Royal Borough to band together to create a ‘super group’ of surgeries.

It will consist of 16 surgeries across Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead - together responsible for 140,000 patients - teaming up to share resources and expertise under one umbrella.

The final agreement to create a GP run Federation of Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead (F-WAM for short) is expected to be signed later this month.

The surgeries involved include Windsor’s Clarence Medical Centre, Lee House and Sheet Street surgeries, South Meadow in Eton and Dedworth Medical Centre, Newton Court, Old Windsor and Datchet Health Centre.

Doctor Mick Watts from the Datchet centre said: “Working as a larger organisation will enable us to offer better career opportunities and greater job security to GPs, nurses and other practice staff, helping us to attract the very best healthcare professionals to the area and address issues around recruitment.”

Individual practices will retain their independence and manage the same staff with patients continuing to see the same doctors.

But it is hoped that pooling resources will increase flexibility so patients can get help quicker when it comes to getting day appointments, telephone consultations, online access and advance booking. It is also hoped more services will be provided locally, making trips to hospital unnecessary.

Doctor Jonathan Holliday from the Eton practice said: “If general practice is to continue to deliver the high level of care that patients quite rightly expect then we must find new and innovative ways of working.”

Asked if patients might soon find themselves seeing doctors from other practices when they visited their usual surgery or centre under the latest Federation plan, Doctor Holliday said: “I think that is unlikely in the short term.

“But it happens a bit at the moment when patients make use of the extra services we provide as part of our involvement with the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund.”

Windsor and Maidenhead successfully bid for £2.5million from the Challenge Fund two years ago which has enabled it to provide evening and weekend primary care - mainly at King Edward VII Hospital, Windsor and St Mark’s, Maidenhead.