From the start of November they will not be opening on Saturdays.

The changes to services in the town is part of a national change in the way doctor's surgeries work.

Saturday surgeries in Ilkeston will be replaced by a more centralised out of hours service providing urgent medical advice or treatment.

Service 'improved'

By 2004 GP's surgeries nationally are not required to open at the weekend at all.

Patients can still ring their own surgery switchboards to arrange appointments.

Erewash Primary Care Trust says as local GP's will be running the out of hours service, patients will be gaining access to the same standard of care they have always had.

Richard Carrol, of Erewash Primary Care Trust said: "If anything it may well improve things because people will ring their surgery in just the same way as they have before.

"That call will be transferred to the out of hours co-operative.