A new "super surgery" is set to be opened tomorrow.

Carlisle Healthcare will officially open its doors to patients on Monday, following the merger of three existing GP practices: Brunswick House, St Paul’s and North Carlisle.

They will share a new phone number and patients will have access to all of the merged services, although each practice will continue to operate from their existing sites.

Letters have also been sent to all of those patients on their books.

The super surgery is vital, say GPs, to help address long-standing problems - such as GP recruitment - and improve services for patients.

Carlisle Healthcare will actually go live tomorrow October 1 , although the first working day is Monday.

It will serve a total of 38,000 patients across the city.

The new telephone number is 01228 588121, although the existing numbers will still be operational for the first few months.

The new merged practice will have appointments available between 8am and 8pm Monday to Thursday, and until 6.30pm on Fridays.

Some patients will have to re-register for repeat prescriptions.