Scottish doctors’ surgery to shut because it cannot fill GP vacancies

A GP at work. Picture: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire

The Bridge of Earn surgery in Perthshire has around 3,500 registered patients.

But the practice has notified NHS Tayside it plans to terminate its contract from 30 August.

The health board said patients would receive letters informing them of the location of their new GP practice.

NHS Tayside said in a statement: “The practice has experienced ongoing difficulties in recruiting GPs and despite the best efforts and hard work of the current GP partners at the surgery, the practice was unable to secure additional permanent GPs over the past few years.”

The health board said since receiving the notice of termination, it has attempted to secure a sustainable medical workforce to continue to deliver services in the area.

The statement said: “Permanent GP cover is critical in providing safe and sustainable services in the practice and, unfortunately, it has not been possible to identify the required medical workforce.

“In order that patients do have access to safe and sustainable services, it has been agreed that patients will now be allocated to nearby GP surgeries.”

Patients will be transferred to a nearby practice with effect from Monday 2 September.

NHS Tayside said there is no “definitive list” of where patients may be transferred to and discussions with local practices are ongoing.

Concerns have been raised about the recruitment and retention of GPs across Scotland, with opposition politicians warning of a “crisis”.

Earlier this year a GP surgery in Aberdeen closed after being unable to fill staff vacancies.

Rosemount Medical Group, which had around 4,500 patients, shut its doors in January.

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