The anticipated merger of seven GP surgeries in Somerset has been postponed due to unforeseen legal complications. Symphony Healthcare Services, which manages these surgeries through four contracts within the South Somerset West Primary Care Network (PCN), had planned to consolidate these contracts. This merger aimed to streamline services across all seven sites and was initially approved by the NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board (ICB) in November 2025, with implementation slated for mid-January.
Symphony Healthcare Services, a subsidiary of the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, expressed regret for the delay, which is now expected to push the merger to later in the year. The postponement stems from unexpected delays in legal procedures beyond the organisation’s control. Despite the setback, Symphony reassures patients that there will be no immediate impact on clinical or administrative staff, nor will patients need to re-register or change surgeries.
The South Somerset West PCN includes seven surgeries, such as Ilchester Surgery and Buttercross Health Centre, with some practices already sharing contracts. All existing surgeries maintain ‘good’ ratings from Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections. Under the forthcoming merger, the practices will operate collectively under the name ‘Symphony South Healthcare’ but will retain their individual surgery names.
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Symphony has communicated openly with patients, apologising for confusion and inconvenience caused by the delay. The additional time will allow teams to strengthen relationships, further develop roles, and continue ongoing work to improve patient care and services. Appointment systems remain unchanged, with priority given to those with the greatest clinical need. Patients are encouraged to continue accessing services as usual and will receive updates once new timelines are confirmed.