GPs forced to close practice lists

Increasing numbers of GP surgeries are being forced to turn away new patients owing to immense pressures.

BMA GPs committee chair Chaand Nagpaul has commented in response to an investigation by the BBC into the numbers of surgeries across England requesting a freeze on registering new patients.

The investigation, carried out under the Freedom of Information Act, shows that at least 100 surgeries applied to NHS England during 2014/15 for permission to stop accepting new patients.

Dr Nagpaul said that many surgeries were no longer able to cope with a lack of resources and intense demand, and were having to close their practice lists in order to safeguard patient safety.

Full story The BMA 6 January 2016