A high court judge has ruled that a US owned health management company may take over a Derbyshire general practice, despite finding that the local primary care trust failed in its duty to consult patients who opposed the plan.

UnitedHealth Europe, a subsidiary of the Minnesota based United Health Group, beat 19 other bidders that had tendered for the contract to run GP services in the former mining village of Creswell and in the nearby branch surgery at Langwith.

But the award was challenged by a local parish councillor, Pam Smith, who sought judicial review of the decision, claiming that North Eastern Derbyshire Primary Care Trust failed to comply with section 11 of …