A DOCTOR says he has no plans to limit the number of patients joining his practice after it was announced that a neighbouring surgery is to shut down.

More than 700 patients will have to change their doctor following the retirement in June of Dr Catherine Young, who runs her own surgery, Carrington House, Wycombe Road, Holmer Green.

It was feared that some patients could find themselves without a surgery in the village and could have to transfer to a practice as far away as High Wycombe.

But neighbouring GP Dr Edward Bray, of the Dragon Cottage Surgery, Browns Road, told the Free Press: "I have no plans to limit patients joining us, no plans to limit them at all in the immediate future unless we find that we are totally snowed under."

Dr Bray, who runs another practice in High Wycombe, says his Holmer Green surgery has already taken on about 100 extra patients.

It is not clear how many of Dr Young's patients will transfer to the Dragon Cottage Surgery.

Dr Bray said: "Some of those patients may choose to register with us, some may not. We've always been a practice in Holmer Green for the last 50 years. Our job in this life is to provide a service in the community."

The GP is now considering whether his practice will need to apply to the Medical Practices Committee to take on an extra doctor.

Dr Young has single-handedly run her practice for 14 years. The surgery will have to close after her retirement because efforts to find a doctor to continue running the surgery failed.

Jan DeLuca, practice manager at Dr Young's surgery, said: "It is a sad time for many of our patients as we took pride in our friendly, personal service and have built up quite a special relationship over the past 14 years."