Hundreds of people have voiced their opinions into proposals to merge three general practices in Gorleston and Bradwell under one roof.

The results of two summer-long consultations into the future of care were presented to the Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Analysis of the feedback in the 13-week long consultations was presented at the CCG's latest governing meeting.

The first consultations looked into proposals to bring together the Falkland Surgery in Bradwell, the Family Centre and Gorleston Medical Centre and place them under one roof at either the James Paget Hospital, Shrublands Medical Centre or Beacon Park.

A total of 731 people responded and the Shrublands Medical Centre was the favoured option, with 53.51pc of people saying yes to the site, 42.4pc saying no and 4.09 who were undecided.

An overwhelming 87.15pc of people said no the James Paget University Hospital, while 64.93pc of people said no to the Beacon Park option.

Andy Evans, chief executive of NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney CCG, said: 'Obviously the consultation has not just been about the responses that are written in, I have been to lots of meetings and almost in all of them the first thing people said was 'we don't want to change' and I think it's just worth stressing and reminding everybody we don't want to change for change's sake.

'This is the CCG planning for the future because if we don't we could be described as being negligent.

'However, as much as people don't want to change, unfortunately it's a necessary change. 'We know there's going to be growth in the public in this area through houses being built and the current capacity is inadequate.'

Mr Evans described the current system as 'unsustainable'.

The proposals by CCG bosses, aims to address issues with the buildings currently used, while helping the surgeries prepare for an estimated 3,500 increase in the local population over the coming decade.

However consultation results found concerns in regards to travelling to all proposed locations.

Gorleston county councillor Colleen Walker, has said that more thought needs to be put behind the proposals due to flaws with each location.

She said: 'I live in Belton and I know for people here it would be extremely difficult to visit any of these three locations.

'In Great Yarmouth and the surrounding villages, we have an aging population and a lot of people rely on public transport to get around. For some people these locations would mean people would have to get at least two buses to get to their GP.'

The second consultation asked for views on plans to deliver more care in people's home and the local community, in turn increasing their independence and reducing unnecessary hospital admissions.

People were also asked for their views on closing beds at some of the area's community hospitals once the new teams were up and running.

Out of 1,151 people asked, 53pc of people approved new out of hospital teams in the community.

However more than 50pc were against permanently closing beds at the Southwold, Patrick Stead, Northgate and All Hallows Hospitals.

The CCG will now analyse the feedback in further detail, with a full discussion due to take place at its next meeting on 22 October. Final decisions on how the CCG uses the feedback to assist in its planning for the future are due later in the year.