A Marston family doctors has admitted it is "struggling" to cope and will be merging with a neighbouring partnership.

Marston Medical Centre will merge with Bury Knowle Partnership as of July 1 but the surgery in Cherwell Drive will only stay open "for the time being."

Dr Jonathan Bickford, from Marston, said: "We have been struggling to maintain the service we wish to give to our patients, due to difficulties recruiting GPs and nurses and changes in funding.

"By merging with the Bury Knowle Partnership, which runs practices in Barton, Headington and Wood Farm, we can tackle these issues, reduce our waiting times and offer more convenient and accessible options to patients.

"All our medical and non-medical staff will continue to work within the merged practice and our patients should continue to book appointments at Marston as usual."

Dr Bickford said they were looking for a new facility and hoped to move the surgery within Marston and Northway.

As part of the merger, patients will be offered Nurse Practitioner appointments on top of the existing GP clinics.

Julie Dandridge, head of primary care at Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "This merger is good news for the patients at Marston Medical Centre who will have a wider range of services.

"Marston and Bury Knowle practices share a like-minded ethos and work extremely hard for their patients. We are sure there will be a seamless and safe merger of services for all Marston patients."