Town’s docs: We can’t take any new patients

A TOWN’S GPs say their surgeries must not take on any extra patients – or the ones they already have could be put at risk.

Seven of the eight practices have applied to their local clinical commissioning group to close their doors to new people.

The doctors in Folkestone, Kent, pictured right, said they are taking the “unprecedented action... to maintain safe care to their current patient population”. They added: “We all feel that as a consequence of the national GP shortage which has been acutely felt in Folkestone, with a shortage of 16 full-time equivalent GPs, we have no other option.” It is thought to be the third town where swamped surgeries have tried to take this drastic step en masse. A British Medical Association survey revealed last week that 44% of GPs in England would consider applying to permanently halt new patient registration.