City and village surgeries close

King Street GP surgery in Wakefield city centre and Netherton branch surgery closed on March 31 and 29 respectively.

NHS Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) went ahead with the King Street closure despite more than 2,800 people signing petitions against the move. A separate NHS walk-in centre in the same building will remain open.

The CCG decided the practice was not good value for money after its contract with provider Local Care Direct came up for renewal, according a report to a council watchdog.

CCG bosses said the number of patients registered at King Street was 3,736, against a planned list of 6,000.

The cost per patient was £90.31, compared to £80.59 or 83.94 at other practices.

The report to the Adults and Health overview and scrutiny committee said there were nine nearby practices with capacity to take extra patients. It said: “All patients have been written to advising them of the planned closure and the need to register with an alternative practice.”

Netherton branch surgery patients will transfer to Orchard Croft Medical Centre, on Cluntergate, Horbury.

Bosses at Orchard Croft decided its closure made best use of staff and resources.

The Netherton surgery, which offered around 250 appointments a month, needed “considerable investment to bring it up to current standards”, the report said.