A practice in Doncaster has announced plans to close one of its branch surgeries ‘as early as possible’ when the number of GPs at the branch halved.
The Ransome Practice, which currently operates three branches under a PMS contract, decided to close The Scawthorpe Clinic because of recruitment issues and the financial unviability of the practice.
Four partners ran the practice initially, but after one retired in 2012 and another in 2016, the 6,000-patient practice has been run by two partners with the help of a salaried GP and a locum.
One of the practice’s senior partner, Dr Puvanasundaram Umapathee, submitted to NHS Doncaster CCG a report in which he described recruitment as a ‘major issue’.
The report said the practice was ‘under extreme pressure’, largely due to ‘operating over the three sites’.
The Ransome Practice also runs The Health Centre and Woodside Surgery in Doncaster, which both have 2,400 registered patients.
According to the report, Scawthorpe Clinic’s 1,320 patients will be able to see GPs at the other sites.
Full story in Pulse 22 August 2017