Families hit as 474 doctors’ surgeries close in a decade

NEARLY 500 GP practices have permanently shut in the last decade without being replaced, according to stark figures unearthed in an investigation.

It means almost 1.5million people have been forced to travel further afield to seek treatment because new surgeries haven’t opened in their postcode area.

The research also shows that traditional family doctor-patient relationship is being lost because the average practice that shut treated fewer people in the vicinity.

Doctors’ magazine Pulse found 474 surgeries have closed in the UK since 2013, without being replaced. A snapshot of 162 found retirement, resignations and problems recruiting were the final blow for 42 per cent of closures.

Earlier this year, analysis found half of England’s small GP surgeries had closed in the past decade, but this is the first to look at whether were replaced.

While some areas might have gained a GP surgery in their wider local area, Pulse said new practices open much less often than existing ones close.

The new investigation found the average surgery lost since 2013 had an average patient list of 2,738 people, whereas practices today typically have more than 9,000 on their books. Small surgeries are among the most popular, according to patient satisfaction surveys.

Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: ‘At many of these practices, patients will have built strong and important relationships with their family doctor over many years.

‘The loss of their practices will mean patients having to travel to see a new GP, and may push more patients towards A&E, which is under severe pressure itself.’

A NHS spokesman said: ‘The NHS has invested record amounts in general practice this year, alongside the number of staff increasing by 18,000 since 2019, well ahead of the Government’s target.’

BARELY a day goes by without another crisis involving the NHS. Yesterday we told of record bed- blocking fuelling the emergency care crisis. Today, fresh concerns about the demise of the family doctor.

In the past decade alone, almost 500 surgeries have closed, affecting millions of patients and massively increasing GP workloads. It’s little surprise the system is teetering on the precipice, with many people waiting weeks for an appointment and tragic stories of some dying because they couldn’t see a doctor in time.

So why is the GP service, once the lifeblood of the NHS, now in such a sick state? Many doctors are retiring or working part-time, while Labour’s bungled contracts let them shun evening and weekend duties.

But we simply must train more doctors. The Government’s refusal to expand the number of places available to young people at medical school is scandalous.

Lifting that self- defeating cap is surely the prescription for improving GP care.