A NEW GP practice opened its doors for the first time on Monday.

The Teddington Memorial Health Centre, at the Teddington Memorial Hospital, will offer appointments from 8am-10pm on weekdays and 8am-9pm on weekends and bank holidays.

Services available include walk-in appointments for registered and unregistered patients, as well as pre-booked appointments, telephone and e-mail consultations for registered patients.

A nurse-led walk-in centre at the hospital opened in 2004 and sees 50,000 people, with minor injuries, a year. The GPs will work closely with the nurses.

Chief executive of NHS Richmond Joan Mager said: "Teddington Memorial Health Centre is a key part of the NHS Richmond strategy to provide healthcare that is accessible, convenient and closer to home. The longer opening hours of the practice, as well as the walk-in appointment system, mean that more people will be able to get to a GP appointment when they need to."

The centre has been commissioned by NHS Richmond and will be operated by Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare, in partnership with Thames Health Collaborative (a group of local GPs) and the League of Friends of Teddington Memorial Hospital.

Dr Kate Moore, who works at the centre, said: "This is a great opportunity for local GPs to work together, and with walk-in centre staff, to ensure that local people have access to a top quality, convenient service, which meets their needs."