officials have defended plans for a new GP-led health centre in the town centre.

Caroline Fowles, chief executive of Swindon Primary Care Trust, announced that Carfax Healthcare had been awarded a five-year contract to run the new 9,500-patient facility, which will open in Carfax Street in April.

Partners at Whalebridge surgery claim the centre would be a polyclinic in all but name and would mean neighbouring ’ surgeries losing patients.

But Ms Fowles refuted suggestions the new health centre would threaten existing practices.

She said the service would deal with an expected growth in population, and the inclusion of SN3 postcodes, and would make it easier for people to use primary care service who might now miss out on vital early treatment or assessment, such as those from ethnic minorities or the homeless.

She also denied the centre was a so-called polyclinic, saying the service was designed to cater for the needs of people who might find it difficult to make standard appointments, such as people in full-time work and those with young families.

Ms Fowles said: “It’s another gateway into the service and actually once they have engaged hopefully they will be encouraged to go back, but it’s about getting people through the door.”

And Ms Fowles stressed that this would mean the doctor-patient relationship would still be available for anyone who preferred it.

At present the Daniel Gooch Medical Practice, Central and Whalebridge Practices and a walk-in centre are run from the site.

However, the new system will see the Daniel Gooch Practice and walk-in centre taken over by Carfax Healthcare.

The 3,500 currently registered patients of the practice automatically incorporated into the new facility.

Ms Fowles said: “We want to reassure patients at the Daniel Gooch Medical Practice, Central and Whalebridge practices, our residents and GPs, the new service complements our current services and there is no threat of closures.”

The trust said the plans had involved extensive consultation with public and staff and interviews with some of the nine parties bidding to run the service.

The new centre will offer access to a clinical team between 8am and 8pm, 365 days a year.

It will have dual functions as a registered GP practice and a drop-in centre which can be used by patients registered with other practices.

The practice and walk-in centres will employ extra staff to cope with the new demands.