What will be the impact of GP practice closures?
Some 254 GP practices listed on 1 April 2017 were no longer listed on the 1 April 2018, an analysis of NHS Digital data has found.
The missing practices are likely to have either closed or merged with other practices.
Published by GPOnline, the figures followed warnings from GP leaders that practices across the country are ‘on the edge of viability’.
BMA general practitioners committee chair Dr Richard Vautrey said that general practice closures will increase unless there is an urgent funding injection.
The small average list size of closing practices, 3,887/practice compared with a national average of 7,785/practice, shows that the closures are disproportionally among small practices.
The BMA is campaigning on the issue of GP practice closures and has argued that despite the investment announced by the GP forward view policy, by the end of 2020/21 general practice will need £3.4bn more than it is scheduled to receive.
Further information
BMA: GPC UK current issues: saving general practice
GPOnline: More than 250 GP practices closed or merged in 2017/18