Two doctors’ surgeries are to close next month – one in Brighton and the other in Hove.
The Practice Hangleton Manor, in Northease Drive, Hove, will close at the end of Friday 15 July.
The Practice North Street, which is based in Boots, at the Clock Tower, will close a fortnight later (Friday 29 July).
The closures are sooner than previously indicated – as is the impending closure of The Practice Willow House on Friday 16 September.
The Practice Group is pulling out of two other GP (general practice) surgeries in Brighton and Hove also run by The Practice Group – The Practice Whitehawk Road and the Brighton Homeless Healthcare Surgery, in Morley Street, Brighton.
A contract to run the homeless practice is to be handed to a new provider, with the tender advertised last month.
NHS England said: “Over recent weeks, The Practice Group has informed us that they have been experiencing some difficulty in retaining staff across all five surgery sites for the duration of their contract.
“The transfer of patient care will therefore be taking place in a phased way across each of the five surgery sites, in order to make sure this is done in a safe and managed way and to make sure The Practice Group can retain sufficient doctors, nurses and support staff until their responsibility for providing patient care comes to an end at each of the surgeries.”
The company gave notice on its contract to run five GP surgeries in Brighton and Hove before Christmas after NHS England said that it would cut the money for the contract.
The company was due to end its contract in June. It agreed to delay the closure of the five GP (general practice) surgeries at NHS England’s request before reporting its staffing problems.
NHS England has written to patients to tell them the closure dates and what happens next.
Patients at The Practice Hangleton Manor will be re-registered from Monday 18 July with the Benfield Valley Hub unless they choose otherwise.
The Benfield Valley Hub runs Burwash Surgery, in Burwash Road, Hove and the County Clinic, in Old Shoreham Road, Portslade.
But patients at The Practice North Street will have to find a new GP (general practitioner) by Friday 29 July. Options include Albion Street Surgery, Ship Street Surgery, the Seven Dials Surgery and the Brighton Health and Wellbeing Practice.
Patients at The Practice Willow House will be transferred to the Allied Medical Practice list unless they choose to register elsewhere. The Allied Medical Practice runs the Church Surgery, in Lewes Road.
The homeless practice is due to be handed over to a new provider at the start of next February.
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