Thousands of St Andrews people have been promised a better GP service under the merger of two of the town’s surgeries.
Feddinch and Strathcairn medical practices are to join forces from April, next year.
The new Pipeland Medical Practice, which will operate from their existing premises in St Andrews Community Hospital, will cater for the 16,500 patients currently on the two lists.
Partners said the merger would create more appointments at times when patients want them and allow GPs to devote more time to patient care.
They also said it would allow them to enhance continuity of care and develop services, such as specialist clinics.
And they are to consider new ways of working such as communicating by text and using Skype.
Dr Nick Haldane, a partner in Strathcairn Medical Practice, said the move was driven by a desire to streamline and improve the service offered.
He said: “Being part of a bigger team gives us the opportunity to look at doing things differently.
“The main question people ask is whether they will be able to see a particular doctor on a particular day.
“The answer is yes, and hopefully they will be able to see that doctor even more often than they can now.”
Feddinch Medical Practice partner Dr Callum Duncan said: “The merger affords us an excellent opportunity to utilise our resources better.
“We have had to look in intricate detail at everything we do, from writing simple prescriptions to ordering complex tests.
“This has allowed us to consider everything we do as a practice and fine tune it to make sure we are doing the best for our patients.”
Between them the practices have 25 administration staff, a nursing team of six, two employed GPs 10 GP partners and two GP trainees.
All posts will transfer to the Pipeland practice, for which a new business manager has also been recruited.
The practices and Blackfriars Medical Practice, also in the hospital, already work closely together.
For example, Feddinch used the experience of Strathcairn recently in developing an online appointment booking.