Feilding Health Care expands services to Palmerston North with the purchase of Group Medical Chambers

Group Medical Chambers' Dr Matthew Claridge (left) and Dr Simon Riddell talk with Feilding Health Care chief executive Nicky Hart.

Feilding Health Care has bought Palmerston North practice Group Medical Chambers.

The practice will be known as Group Medical and staffed by familiar faces, Feilding Health Care chief executive Nicky Hart says.

Long-time owners Dr Matthew Claridge and Dr Simon Riddell will continue to work in the practice.

“They’re very talented doctors and while they will reduce their hours somewhat, the level of service won’t be changing at all for their patients,” Hart says.

Providing a succession pathway for GPs who are looking to retire is a focus for the Feilding Health Care group.

“We share values around the importance of local ownership of general practices, and we believe that our experience and ability to support the practice, both clinically and with business support, will ensure its long-term sustainability.

“This allows retiring GPs to take a step back and know that their practice and patients will continue to be looked after well into the future.”

Riddell, who’s been at the practice for more than 40 years, says this pathway provides certainty for his patients.

“I’m not going anywhere just yet, but I am getting older and my patients ask me when I’m going to retire.”

Claridge says local ownership was an important factor in their decision.

“Feilding Health Care’s local ownership, good reputation and extensive services are essential to meet the growing needs of our community as smaller practices simply don’t have the capacity to care for our growing communities.”

The Feilding Health Care group has been operating in Feilding for eight years and recently expanded to Ashhurst.