PLANS for a merger between two Hyndburn health centres is being thrown open to public consultation.

Health chiefs say patients at Oswald Medical Practice and Myrtle House Surgery should not notice any differences.

Myrtle House and Hyndburn Medical Practice patients in Accrington, would move to Aston House, at 387-391 Blackburn Road.

Oswald Medical Practice would move from 296 to 274 Union Road, Oswaldtwistle. Blackburn's Pritchard Street surgery would remain where it is.

No job losses are proposed as part of the moves, which must be ratified by East Lancashire clinical commissioners.

Rita Naylor, senior business development manager for the practices. said GPs felt Myrtle House was not fit for purpose and had little parking.

And as Hyndburn Medical Practice was located within the Acorn Primary Health Centre, doctors had little control over opening times, she added.

The vacated Oswald practice would then be sold off. A March 6 deadline has been set for comments.