eHarley Street, a GP management company facing criticism from patients, doctors, and the Welsh government, is returning more of its surgeries in Wales. The company cites financial and operational pressures as the reason for handing back Blaenavon Medical Practice, Aberbeeg Medical Practice, Bryntirion Surgery, and Tredegar Medical Practice to Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. This follows the previous return of Brynmawr Medical Practice last month, bringing the total number of surgeries being returned to five.
A GP management company that faced criticism from patients, doctors, and the first minister is returning most of its surgeries in Wales , according to BBC Wales . The broadcaster has obtained a letter outlining plans to transfer four more surgeries back to Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, following the announcement last month that Brynmawr Medical Practice would be handed back.
The letter, addressed to surgery staff, states that Blaenavon Medical Practice, Aberbeeg Medical Practice, Bryntirion Surgery, and Tredegar Medical Practice are being returned due to 'political, financial, and operational pressures.' Earlier this month, First Minister Eluned Morgan expressed 'deep concern' over claims that doctors had not been paid and patients were struggling to secure appointments at surgeries managed by eHarley Street. In November, BBC Wales revealed that locum doctors were refusing to work at Welsh surgeries operated by the company due to alleged unpaid wages amounting to around £250,000. Doctors also raised concerns about 'dangerous' staffing levels and 'potentially catastrophic' supply shortages at practices supported by the GP management company. eHarley Street has consistently denied all claims, asserting their commitment to addressing these challenges. Now, a total of five out of the nine Welsh practices managed by eHarley Street will be returned to the local health board. The letter indicates that Blaenavon Medical Practice and Aberbeeg Medical Practice will be managed by the health board from March 1st. It states: 'Despite investing heavily into these practices - both financially and through our wider resources - we are no longer in a position to sustain further financial debt in trying to keep these contracts viable.' This announcement follows the company's rebranding of its website from eHarley Street Primary Care Solutions to eHarley Wales. Doctors maintain that they are still owed money for work performed at eHarley Street-managed practices, with some locum GPs pursuing legal action to recover unpaid wages. Senedd Member Alun Davies has requested the Senedd's health committee to investigate how eHarley Street became involved in managing doctors' surgeries in Wales. Calls for an eHarley Street inquiry have intensified following the experiences of patients, some with terminal illnesses, who reported difficulties accessing appointments and treatments. Katrina Hughes, a 69-year-old terminal cancer patient, shared her anxieties about the lack of doctors at Brynmawr Medical Practice in Blaenau Gwent. In December, there were demands for an inquiry into eHarley Street after patients spoke out about their struggles. 'It frightens me - I don't feel safe,' Ms. Hughes said, describing her challenges in securing appointments or seeing the same doctor. She was among approximately 100 individuals who attended a public meeting to discuss services at the practice. Many attendees expressed similar concerns, highlighting difficulties in receiving appointments, obtaining medication, and waiting for test results. In January, several Senedd Members criticized the services provided by eHarley Street-managed surgeries in Wales. In a previous statement, the partners who run eHarley Street and the surgeries it manages acknowledged facing 'significant financial constraints' but affirmed their commitment to addressing these challenges. Aneurin Bevan University Health Board had placed the surgeries under 'enhanced monitoring' and emphasized its focus on working with the local community following the announcement that Brynmawr Medical Practice would be returned.
Eharley Street Wales GP Surgeries Health Crisis Unpaid Wages Staffing Shortages Patient Care
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