A medical centre’s controversial move to a new site several miles from its current home has been called off.

Ravenscroft Medical Centre, in 166 Golders Green Road, Golders Green, has dropped its plans to relocate to Finchley Memorial Hospital.

It comes after Millway Medical Practice in Edgware – which was due to move to the hospital alongside Ravenscroft – told NHS bosses it was pulling out of the joint relocation.

The move had been designed to save Barnet Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) – the local NHS body that plans and commissions healthcare – around £177,000 per year.

But Ravenscroft’s plans met with strong opposition from patients, local councillors and MP for Finchley and Golders Green Mike Freer.

A consultation that gathered the views of more than 1,300 patients revealed 86 per cent were against the move.

Many warned they would not be able to travel to Finchley Memorial, which is in Granville Road, North Finchley – more than three miles from Ravenscroft’s current premises.

Ravenscroft Medical Centre has been providing healthcare in Golders Green since the NHS was founded in 1948 and has around 7,000 registered patients.

Dr Barry Subel, GP Partner at Ravenscroft, said he was “extremely disappointed” by the outcome.

He added: “I was looking forward to the opportunity to develop new and innovative services for my patients to improve patient care both in the community and at Finchley Memorial Hospital.

“However, patients are my first priority and I remain completely committed to continuing to provide excellent clinical care for my patients.”

Barnet CCG chief operating officer Kay Matthews said: “The CCG’s priority is Dr Subel’s patients. We would like to assure them that there will be no change to their GP service, which will continue to be provided by Dr Subel and his excellent staff at Ravenscroft Medical Centre.”