North Harbour Medical Group closure: Portsmouth GP surgeries are nominated to take on practices' patients

NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board, which is overseeing the response to the closure, said a ‘smaller’ number of patients would be moved elsewhere.

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Mark Compton, the board's director of primary care and transformation, said they were working ‘very closely’ with North Harbour to manage the process.#

‘We are especially grateful to Portsdown and Drayton practices for their support by offering to accept the majority of North Harbour patients onto their lists, and the work they are doing to recruit additional staff and implement the necessary infrastructure to support these moves,’ he said. ‘Our top priorities at this difficult time are to ensure all patients receive clear information, choice and continuity of care, and to work with all the Portsmouth practices to make sure they are suitably resourced to take on extra registrations.’

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In conjunction with the board, North Harbour is hosting a series of both face-to-face and virtual consultation events next week. They are:

Tuesday, January 24, 7pm to 8.30pm at Cosham Baptist Church

Wednesday, January 25, 12.30pm to 2pm at Cosham Community Centre

Thursday, January 26, 7pm to 8.30pm, online via Microsoft Teams. Registration must be completed via Eventbrite or by calling 023 9289 9500

North Harbour submitted notice of its planned closure last month due to staffing shortages and long-running recruitment difficulties that left it with just two remaining GPs. There have also been concerns over the condition of Cosham Health Centre in which it is based.

Practice senior partner Shishirkant Choudhary, said it had been a ‘difficult’ decision but said the closure was ‘the most viable option’.

‘Until then, we remain open and will continue to offer services as before,’ he said. ‘We're also working hard to make sure that our patients with long-term conditions receive the care they need, and ensure a smooth closure with minimal disruption on the quality of care on offer to patients.’

The board said it hoped all affected patients would be transferred by April and has requested that people do not re-register themselves elsewhere.

Each patient will be sent a letter outlining options and asking them to list preferences.

Most people will be moved to either Portsdown Group Practice or The Drayton Surgery.

A statement posted on both practices' websites says they are 'saddened' by the closure of North Harbour and said they are unable to accept registrations until the board completes its work.