Commons leader concerned about large GP practice closure in Portsmouth

The leader of the House of Commons has raised concerns about the upcoming closure of a large GP practice in her constituency because it could not recruit staff.

North Harbour Medical Group in Cosham said it was handing back the contract to care for 9,000 patients and would shut its doors in the spring, the Portsmouth News reported.

Patients will likely be allocated to other practices in the city but Penny Mordaunt, who is also the MP for Portsmouth North, said she has raised concerns about the impact of the closure on continuity of care and neighbouring practices with the Department of Health and ICB.

In a statement the practice said the decision had been a ‘difficult’ one followed several planned departures from the practice on both the medical and business side.

‘We have been working closely with NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) and have formally given notice on our contract,’ the statement said. ‘We anticipate that the GP practice will close in spring 2023.’

Local reports said that the practice used to have five GPs but one retired in September, another handed in their notice and a third was on long-term sick leave. The practice had also struggled to recruit nurses.

A meeting of Portsmouth City Council’s health scrutiny board heard the closure was ‘very sudden’ and had been caused by a ‘perfect storm’ of staffing issues and concerns over the condition of its Cosham Health Centre base.

Portsmouth already has the highest rate of patients to doctors of any area in the country.

Ms Mordaunt tweeted about the closure saying that she alongside local councillors and Healthwatch was concerned about the decision and the short notice.

‘I’m worried about continuity of care and the impact on other GP surgeries,’ she said adding she had raised the issue with the health secretary and had asked for an urgent meeting with the ICB.

Patients have been asked not to do anything at this point with the practice saying they would be contacted in January with a choice of local practices they could move to.

One GP at a neighbouring practice said she had only found out that the practice was closing on social media.

Dr Emma Nash said: ‘No one told us. I found this out on Twitter. How on earth is that OK? If we’re going to accommodate extra patients we need notice. Lots. Getting staff is hard enough, let alone quickly. Would appreciate help.’

In-person consultation events will be held early in 2023 for patients to find out more about the reallocation process.

Earlier this year a major Pulse investigation revealed that 474 GP surgeries across the UK have closed in the past nine years without being replaced, with small practices on lower funding in more deprived areas most likely to be affected.