Thousands left to find GP as Bournemouth surgery set to close

Winton Health Centre in Bournemouth said it would close on 31 July

Thousands of patients will have to find a new GP after a surgery said it was closing.

The GP partners at Winton Health Centre, in Bournemouth, which has 10,000 patients registered, said they plan to end their care contract on 31 July.

The local NHS trust said people will be transferred to other surgeries after it was unable to find anyone to take over.

It is the latest of a number of surgery closures across the south of England.

They include:

• North Harbour Medical Group, Portsmouth - 9,000 patients

• Abbotsbury Road Surgery, Weymouth - 9,000 patients

• Beech Grove Surgery, Brading, Isle of Wight - 4,500 patients

NHS Dorset said in a statement it had been "exploring options for a merger or takeover of the surgery [Winton Health Centre]".

It added: "However, these have been without success meaning the surgery will close after 31 July."

Dr Paul Johnson, Chief Medical Officer, NHS Dorset, said the trust was writing to patients to inform them which surgery they will be transferred to and "what other options they may have".

A survey by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) showed more than 470 GP surgeries have closed across England, within the last decade - with 39% of GPs "seriously considering leaving the profession" within five years.

Earlier this year, the RCGP said it was concerned that workload pressures and staff shortages would see more surgeries close.

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