A BUSY doctors' practice is planning to move to new premises and to take the village pharmacy with it.

Queens Road Surgery, in Queens Road, Blackhill, Consett, is in advanced negotiations with the NHS to buy part of the nearby former Shotley Bridge Hospital site.

If the deal goes ahead, an expanded practice will be built on the land, in a multi-million pound scheme.

The surgery has more than 9,000 patients on its books, looked after by eight doctors and five nurses. With administrative staff, it employs 30 people.

Geoff Power, the practice business manager, said: "We know we are overcrowded.

"The facilities are fine from a patients' perspective. But we have five consulting rooms for eight doctors and three nursing suites for five nurses."

An independent survey carried out by Capitec last year suggested that, to operate successfully, the practice needed an extra 700sq m of floorspace.

Once a land sale is agreed and planning permission achieved, it is estimated the construction of the complex will take 45 weeks and it could be completed by early 2006.

"We are trying to second guess what will be needed in terms of health services in 15 to 20 years' time," said Mr Power.

"Most of the doctors are in their thirties or forties, so this has to be a building where they can spend the rest of their working lives."

At present, patients visiting the Queens Road surgery who require prescriptions only have to walk next door, to be looked after in John Low's pharmacy.

Yesterday, the board of Derwentside Primary Care Trust gave its provisional consent for the pharmacy to move with the surgery from Queens Road to Shotley Bridge.

Wynn Griffiths, trust chief executive, said: "We are keen to see the practice move to the hospital site.

"It is in the interest of patients going to get a prescription from their GP that it is dispensed on the same site."

The board also agreed the pharmacy no longer has to open on Saturday mornings, as the surgery is now closed over the weekend due to new out-of-hours services.