Dear Dr Pautz,

We are writing to you as the primary care lead in Kingston to express our concerns over the closure of the Village Surgery in New Malden. With our NHS struggling with capacity and funding issues we are concerned about the impact the loss of a GP practice will have. The BMA say: “GP practices across the country are experiencing significant and growing strain with declining GP numbers, rising demand, struggles to recruit and retain staff and knock-on effects for patients.”

We understand the CQC’s need to close the surgery and we have been told that nearby surgeries have the capacity to absorb the additional patients but many people are already struggling to get GP appointments when needed. When we were canvassing in the recent election, many local residents told us about how they have struggled to access timely primary care services, or get GP appointments. The dispersal of patients from the Village Surgery could put more pressure on local services and on our hard-working NHS staff.

We strongly urge that the building should remain in NHS ownership / operation and be used for primary care services for people in New Malden, including the new types of practitioners who are being recruited into primary care, such as paramedics and social prescribers. We need a greater proportion of close-to-home health services and to build interdisciplinary, patient-focused services across primary care, mental health and social care.

We must also ensure that people living with long-term conditions can access the care they need including peer support, work to tackle health inequalities, and focus on prevention. Having a building on the high street would be ideal for these kinds of activities.

Pat Dobson, Sean Casey, and Stephen Dunkling