GP company hands back remaining surgeries
GoogleA GP management company that was criticised by patients, doctors and the first minister is handing back the remaining surgeries it runs in Wales.
BBC Wales first revealed safety, staffing and supply concerns at practices managed by Leicestershire-based eHarley Street in 2024, prompting criticism from First Minister Eluned Morgan.
Now the company has told Aneurin Bevan University Health Board it is handing back its remaining three surgeries.
The health board said it would work "to ensure a smooth transition", while eHarley Street said its "operating model is not suited to the current structure of primary care in Wales".
The company had already handed back six of its surgeries, and now Gelligaer Surgery, Caerphilly county, and Lliswerry Medical Centre in Newport will be given up, along with Pontypool Medical Centre in Torfaen, which serves about 17,000 patients.
In November 2024, BBC Wales revealed locum doctors were refusing to work at Welsh surgeries managed by eHarley Street, because of claims they were owed about £250,000 in unpaid wages.
Doctors also warned of "dangerous" staffing levels and "potentially catastrophic" supply shortages at practices managed by the company.
All of the claims were denied by eHarley Street.
The company had previously managed nine surgeries in Wales:
- Brynmawr Medical Practice, Blaenau Gwent
- Blaenavon Medical Practice, Torfaen
- Pontypool Medical Centre, Torfaen
- Bryntirion Surgery, Bargoed, Caerphilly county
- Tredegar Medical Practice, Blaenau Gwent
- Aberbeeg Medical Practice, Blaenau Gwent
- Gelligaer Surgery, Caerphilly county
- Lliswerry Medical Centre, Newport
- The Corporation Road Surgery, Cardiff
Aneurin Bevan health board said the GP partnership had "formally notified" the health board of its decision to resign from the General Medical Services (GMS) contracts for Lliswerry, Gelligaer and Pontypool.
The management company said it would "meet all contractual requirements in relation to this decision to ensure continuity of care for all patients within these practices".
There have been calls for an inquiry into the running of GP surgeries managed by eHarley Street.
Last year, patients with terminal illnesses complained of struggles to access appointments and treatments at surgeries linked to the company.
The doctors who run eHarley Street had previously said there was "chronic underfunding, outdated funding formulas and burnt-out workforce" in Wales, and added they had spent "personal and private funds to stabilise operations and recruit clinical staff".
In a joint statement, Nick Thomas-Symonds, MP for Torfaen, and Lynne Neagle, MS for Torfaen, said they welcomed the decision and had expressed "serious concerns" about the Pontypool surgery for more than a year.
They said they would "ensure standards of service improve", had referred their concerns to the auditor general for Wales, and "await the outcome of his investigation".
GoogleThe decision to step back will take effect from 1 April, eHarley Street said.
"After a period of operating within the Welsh primary care system, the partnership has concluded that its operating model is not suited to the current structure of primary care in Wales and has therefore taken this decision," a spokesperson added.
Aneurin Bevan health board said: "The health board will now work closely with the partnership to ensure a smooth transition and follow its usual processes to establish the longer-term arrangements for the future delivery of GP services in these practices.
"We would like to reassure staff and patients that access to GP services will continue as normal at these practices, and no disruption to care is expected."
It said it would keep staff and patients fully informed of any developments or changes as the process progressed.
