CONCERNS have been raised over the future of an out-of-hours doctor service after the current provider’s position was thrown into doubt.

Harrogate District NHS Hospital Foundation Trust was made responsible for providing the service in areas around Selby and York, Craven districts, Hambleton, Richmondshire and Harrogate borough.

The trust is overseeing the service in the period before NHS North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust hands over responsibility to Clinical Commissioning Groups.

But it emerged yesterday that the trust was unable to continue to meet the needs of patients in the area.

A spokesman from North Yorkshire and York trust said: “Following Harrogate District NHS Foundation Trust’s decision to give notice on providing out-of-hours service to parts of North Yorkshire, the local Clinical Commissioning Groups are considering their options with respect to the re-tendering of this service.

“We can confirm that there will be no change to services until after July next year.”

The chairman of North Yorkshire County Council’s scrutiny of health committee, Councillor Jim Clark, said: “When Harrogate Hospital Foundation Trust took over the outof- hours service it was only going to be for a set period of time, with a view to taking it over permanently if it worked out, but it has decided to withdraw.

“I am not sure why, and that is why I will be meeting them. It might have been too large an undertaking or because of a lack of finances.

“We will consider the options. I am not sure who else would be in the running to take this over, so a lot of details need to be established.”