A DOCTOR'S surgery which serves 9,000 patients in Weymouth and Chickerell is to close, it was announced today.

A shortage of GPs has been blamed for the shock closure of the Abbotsbury Road Surgery.

Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said it received formal notice from the GP partners at Abbotsbury Road Surgery in Weymouth of its decision to terminate its contract. This means that the practice will be closing on March 31, 2019.

The surgery incorporates the Chickerell branch in Lower Way which will also close.

Abbotsbury Road Surgery will continue to provide primary care services until the end of March 2019, at both the Abbotsbury Road and Chickerell sites.

GP practices in the Weymouth and Portland area are now developing plans to ensure the continuity of primary care services. This means that patients do not need to register elsewhere immediately, and should remain registered with Abbotsbury Road Surgery, giving the locality the opportunity to formalise their plans which will ensure that patients have safe continuity of care.

The CCG says Weymouth and Portland GPs are very keen to engage with patients and staff at the practice as they develop their plans over coming weeks.

Each patient will receive a letter with more details in due course, and a comprehensive programme of patient engagement will follow.

The GP Partners at Abbotsbury Road Surgery said: “We are very sad to have had to make the decision to close the practice. With an ageing GP workforce and national shortage of GPs, we have been unable to recruit replacements for retiring GP Partners. We have therefore concluded that is it unsafe to continue to try to provide General Medical Services for our population of 9,000 patients with a skeleton clinical staff without risking the health and safety of our patients and our staff.”

Dr Karen Kirkham, Locality Chair and Weymouth GP, said: “The partners at Abbotsbury Road Surgery have made the difficult decision to hand back their contract at the end of March 2019. This does not change the direction or plans that the locality has been developing, which are supported by all practices, to find solutions for a more resilient primary care within Weymouth and Portland, building on the many ideas that are already emerging.

“Staff at Abbotsbury Road Surgery and the Chickerell branch site will be supported by the CCG and local practices. All of our primary care staff, clinical and non-clinical, are a hugely valuable resource, and the team at the practice will have a crucial role to play in the continuation of local services.

“We have a great track record for working together across the Weymouth and Portland locality, and we will continue to provide the high quality general practice that has always been at the heart of all that we do.”

If patients have any concerns or questions, they are encouraged to contact the CCG at communications@dorsetccg.nhs.uk.