Inverurie Medical Practice in Aberdeenshire to end NHS Grampian contract due to lack of doctors

One of Scotland’s largest GP practices, with more than 25,000 patients, is set to end its NHS contract over a lack of doctors.

The Inverurie Medical Practice has given notice that it will end its contract with NHS Grampian on September 7 this year.

The practice has been “unable to recruit new, permanent GPs” to service the large number of registered people, according to Alex Pirrie, NHS Grampian’s partnership manager for Central Aberdeenshire.

Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership said it will take on the practice itself if new operators cannot be found to run the service.

No job losses are expected and patients have been told they do not need to find a new GP, with services to continue as normal for the next six months.

“We have explored every avenue to recruit with positivity but there simply are not enough trained GPs out there,” Dr Iain Innes, partner at Inverurie Medical Practice, said.

“We have also tried to recruit to a variety of other roles to support patient care at the Practice, but again we have struggled to get the people we need,” he added.

“It is sad that we cannot continue as a partnership, but we are looking to the future and how we can continue to be part of the Inverurie community,” said Dr George Leiper, partner at Inverurie Medical Practice.

He added: “I would also like to thank our patients for the support they have provided to the Practice over the years, and I can promise that we will work with the Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership to make the handover of our contract as smooth as possible.”

NHS Grampian confirmed that practice staff have been informed of the situation and patients are being contacted directly.

“Inverurie Medical Practice has unfortunately, like many others across the country, found itself in the position of being unable to recruit new, permanent GPs and as a result the partners have taken the very difficult decision to hand back their contract to us,” Ms Pirrie said.

“We will be working closely with the practice and all other partners to secure a robust, sustainable, future focused Primary Care service for everyone registered with the practice.”