A PACKED GP practice in Musselburgh is being taken over by NHS and East Lothian Council chiefs after it struggled to find new partners to run the business.

Eskbridge Medical Practice will come under management of the new East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership – a joint initiative introduced this year in the county.

The practice, which operates out of the Musselburgh Primary Care Centre, Inveresk Road, currently has 8,800 patients on its books and supports five care homes in its area.

The decision to take over management comes after one of the independent practice's senior partners announced plans to retire next month.

Problems attracting new GPs have put the practice under increasing pressure and it approached the partnership asking it to get involved.

The partnership will take over management from next month and plans are in place to introduce new staff including two GPs, Advanced Nurse Practitioners and a pharmacist.

Staff currently employed by the practice are being transferred to the NHS on the same terms and conditions they enjoyed under the independent practice and much of the current GP expertise will remain in place.

Councillor Donald Grant, chairman of the East Lothian Integration Joint Board, which oversees the partnership, said the decision to take over management of the practice was considered the best option to safeguard its future.

He said: "We think this is the best option all round at the moment. It should cause the minimum of disruption to patients.

"I think the only difference they will notice straight away is the introduction of an improved booking system. This is really to make sure that things run smoothly and make good use of staff time.

"Otherwise, I am hoping that patients will feel that they are benefiting from the same range of services and supports offered by this excellent practice. I expect Eskbridge Practice to continue to go from strength to strength."

Other practices in the centre are unaffected by the change.