"Save Our GP Surgeries" members will be circulating a petition against the centre earmarked near the town centre as part of a Government shake-up in community health care.

The polyclinic, or 'Darzi centre,' is expected to be up and running by the beginning of May next year with an all-under-one-roof service 12 hours a day, seven days a week, including GPs – as well as homeless assistance, drugs and other substance misuse counselling, and sexual health problems.

Scarborough GPs say the new centre has been imposed without public consultation and in a letter in the Evening News appealed to residents to support them.

It states that "a large sum of money is to be squandered on a scheme that will do nothing to improve the health of Scarborough residents".

They are concerned that funding will be directed away from existing services – ultimately phasing out or undermining the town's local surgeries, as well as outpatient day care hospital services.

Campaigner John Palethorpe said: "The outcome of the services and opening hours offered is totally unclear. So far there are more questions than answers and we are not informed as to what we might gain or might not gain.

"We certainly know what we will lose ... firstly our GPs surgeries, a 60-year-old tried and tested service, giving satisfaction to thousands of patients daily, and, secondly, services at our local hospital.

Under the proposals, many services will be moved in to these super surgeries, thereby downgrading the hospital and losing other services to bigger hospitals in Leeds, York, Hull and Middlesbrough. As these hospitals are now running at capacity, waiting times and journey times will increase."

Fellow campaigner Mel Rogers, 66, of Snainton, said: "I am thoroughly disgusted that these super surgeries are being forced upon us by the PCT without proper area wide consultation."

Dave Willis, 71, who has been using his GP surgery in South Cliff since 1952, said: "I would urge everyone to say a firm no to all the PCTs proposals – they are neither needed nor wanted.

"This is just another way for the PCT to eventually save money by herding us like cattle on to a medical fast-track conveyor belt."