Inverurie GP practice with 25,000 patients ends NHS contract

One of Scotland's largest GP practices says it is ending its NHS contract because of recruitment struggles.

Inverurie Medical Practice, which has more than 25,000 patients, will end its NHS Grampian contract on 7 September.

Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership said it would take on the NHS 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.

The current operator, Inverurie Medical Group, said it cannot offer the level of care it wants as there are not enough GPs available to recruit.

The practice, based at Inverurie Health and Care Hub, has also struggled to fill other roles in patient care.

The group will continue to run the service in the meantime.

Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership - which runs services for Aberdeenshire Council and NHS Grampian - said the current operator had taken the "very difficult decision" to hand back its contract to them.

Alex Pirrie, partnership manager for Central Aberdeenshire, said: "Inverurie Medical Practice has unfortunately, like many others across the country, found itself in the position of being unable to recruit new, permanent GPs.

"We will be working closely with the practice to secure a robust, sustainable, future.

"It will continue as normal over the next six months and there is no need for patients to change their practice, or take any other action, at this time."