Northern Ireland

Movement freeze on GP patients in north Down, Ards and east Belfast

Patients at GP practices in north Down, Ards and east Belfast are not allowed to move to another surgery for several weeks, the Department of Health has said
Patients at GP practices in north Down, Ards and east Belfast are not allowed to move to another surgery for several weeks, the Department of Health has said Patients at GP practices in north Down, Ards and east Belfast are not allowed to move to another surgery for several weeks, the Department of Health has said

PATIENTS at GP practices in north Down, Ards and east Belfast are not allowed to move to another surgery for several weeks, amid fears for the future of one north Down practice.

GP partners at Priory Surgery in Holywood, which incorporates Springhill Surgery in Bangor, Co Down, announced earlier this month they will hand back their contract to health bosses early next year.

The Department of Health has now introduced a temporary movement freeze in the three areas until the end of this month, citing the "potentially destabilising impact" of patients attempting to leave a practice.

It is understood that a large number of patients at Priory & Springhill have attempted to join other GP practices.

If patients leave a practice in high numbers, it is more difficult to attract other GPs.

In a letter sent to GPs, the Department of Health said with regard to patients attempting to leave Priory & Springhill "and the potentially destabilising impact this is having, the Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG) have decided to freeze the free movement of patients between practices in the north Down, Ards and east Belfast areas with immediate effect and lasting until August 31 2022".

The move means that a patient registered with a GP practice cannot move to another practice in the same catchment area for several weeks.

Patients who are new to the area or who do not have a GP practice should still be able to register with a surgery, provided its patient list is open, the letter read.

The Department of Health has been contacted for comment.