3,450 PATIENTS MUST FIND A NEW GP
3,450 patients must find alternative GPS
THOUSANDS of patients have been told to find a new GP – because the NHS is shutting their surgery.
A total of 3,450 patients at Midway Medical Centre, in Newcastle, are affected after being told their Lyme Valley Road practice will shut at the end of March.
It operates from the same building as Lyme Valley Practice which is unaffected by the shake-up.
Now patients have until January 18 to register with a new GP practice – or they will be told where to go by the NHS after that date.
It is expected that the majority of people will move across to Lyme Valley Practice.
Midway Medical Centre is currently run by NHS Solutions after a contract was signed with NHS England and North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
A CCG spokesman said: “Midway’s contract is due to expire on March 31 and is not being renewed. Patients are therefore being asked to register with another GP practice in the area.
“There are eight other practices within a two-mile radius and all have capacity, with Lyme Valley able to take all those patients currently registered with Midway.
“All registered patients have been written to and advised how to re-register with another practice which we hope will be achieved with minimum disruption.”
The walk-in service at Midway Medical Centre will also be axed at the end of March.
CCG executive director Lynn Millar added: “No-one registered with Midway Medical Centre should worry that they will be left without a GP. We have informed all patients how to register with another GP practice.”
Midway Medical Centre patient Penny Styles and her partner have already registered with Lyme Valley Practice. It is the second time within two years that patients have faced upheaval – after Midway Medical Centre was moved from The Midway, in Newcastle, in June, 2017.
The 65-year-old, from Newcastle, said: “We are both in the 60-plus bracket and of an age where we need more support from the NHS.”