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Ballymena: Kells and Connor Medical Centre to close at end of April

BBC Kells and Connor Medical CentreBBC
The DoH says patients do not have to take any action and should not attempt to move to another practice in the area

A GP practice in Ballymena in County Antrim is due to close within weeks following unsuccessful attempts to find a new contractor.

The 4,000 patients at Kells and Connor Medical Centre will be allocated to other GP surgeries in surrounding areas.

The practice operators gave notice that they are resigning their contract to provide GP services from 30 April.

Attempts to find another GP to take over the running of the centre failed.

A Department of Health (DoH) spokesperson said: "All alternative options in relation to the continuation of services at Kells and Connor Medical Practice were fully exhausted.

"The department understands that this is not the news that patients of the practice were looking for and that it will cause concern and inconvenience in the local community."

Advice to patients

Letters are being issued to all patients currently registered with Kells and Connor practice to advise them of the closure.

The GP practice will continue to operate as normal until 30 April.

The DoH said patients do not have to take any action - they should remain registered with Kells and Connor practice and not attempt to move to another practice in the area.

Further details will be issued to patients over the next weeks advising them of their new GP practice.

Getty/Natalia Gdovskaia Unrecognizable doctor consulting patient. Giving piece of paper with instructions and recommendations - stock photoGetty/Natalia Gdovskaia
The Department has supported Multi-Disciplinary Teams model with an additional £1.5m investment this year

Seven other GP practices in Northern Ireland have notified the Department of Health of their intention to hand back their contract in the coming months.

The spokesperson said: "The Department acknowledges the ongoing and significant pressures on GP practices, stemming from the fact that demand for their services is outstripping current capacity to provide it.

"Notwithstanding budgetary pressures, the department is committed to building the GP workforce.

"We have made significant progress in relation to the number of GPs trained each year."

The number of GP training places in Northern Ireland has been increased by 70% from 2015 levels in recent years.

The review of places is ongoing and the department will consider recommendations from the review of training places in the future.

The DoH said it had streamlined the process for GPs who had qualified "in a number of countries" to work in Northern Ireland,

It said it had taken steps to ease administrative pressures on practices.

It also hoped recently announced pension reforms aim to reduce the number of doctors retiring early.