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Ian Austin in warning over festive GP services

Thousands of patients in the West Midlands could be left without out-of-hours GP services over Christmas, an MP has warned.

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Dudley North MP Ian Austin

Ian Austin has called for urgent action after it emerged that Primecare, which provides GP services in Walsall, Sandwell and West Birmingham, is set to cease operations at the end of the week.

Dudley North Labour MP Mr Austin says the move could prove disastrous for patients across the region, with GP services in areas not directly affected likely to be over run with extra demand.

He wants the Government to step in to address the issue, which he describes as being caused by 'the increased fragmentation and continued under-funding of the NHS'.

Primecare, a division of Allied Healthcare, sent a letter to GPs on November 20 telling them to 'make urgent contact' with health commissioners to arrange contingency plans for services.

It said: “As a result of the decision by our group, Allied Healthcare, to cease all operations by mid-December 2018, Primecare will no longer be in a position to provide individual GP practices with primary medical services including GP out-of-hours opted-in cover, half day cover, ad hoc cover or any telephony-based services as from 1 December 2018."

“You are advised to make urgent contact with your relevant CCGs to discuss contingency plans for the provision of these services.”

Mr Austin said: "The NHS is entering its busiest period but thousands of patients in large areas of Birmingham and the Black Country could be left without GP out of hours services.

"This is obviously a very serious issue for patients in West Birmingham, Sandwell and Walsall, but many hospitals are already failing to hit their targets and this could also result in much bigger pressures on local hospitals and other health centres and lead to even longer waits for patients in A&E departments, including here in Dudley, if patients are forced to seek help elsewhere in the Black Country.

"This looks like another problem caused by the increased fragmentation and continued under-funding of the NHS which has left local hospitals already under huge pressure, so I want to know what steps the government is taking to sort this problem out and ensure local patients continue to get all the help they need."

Earlier this month, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) issued a warning to all local authorities over the future of services run by Allied Healthcare due to concerns over its finances.

Allied Healthcare subsequently complained the CQC warning had 'negatively impacted' the firm by influencing customers to transfer services to other providers, and disrupting staff retention and recruitment.