DIFFICULTIES recruiting and retaining GPs will see a Somerset surgery close in September.

Patients have been left shocked after the move was announced by partners at Luson Surgery, in Wellington.

They said they had “made the difficult decision that it is no longer sustainable to continue to offer general medical services to our patients” at the Fore Street surgery.

“This is due to GP recruitment/retention and premises challenges,” they added.

“We do not want patients to worry. Arrangements have been put in place for patients registered at Luson Surgery to be automatically transferred – following our closure on Friday, September 26 – to Wellington Medical Centre, a couple of minutes away, on Monday, September 29.

“Patients will not need to do anything.”

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They said patients who wish to register at another practice instead can do so once “the overall patient list transfer to the Wellington Medical Centre has happened and after a period of 4 weeks at Wellington Medical Centre”.

After the announcement, MP Gideon Amos (Lib Dem, Taunton & Wellington) vowed to fight for more GPs in the town.

“It’s desperately disappointing to hear the news about Luson but, having spent time with the team at Wellington Health Centre, I know they will be well cared for there,” he said.

“I’d like to pay tribute to the hard work and dedication of local GPs and healthcare staff at both surgeries.

“If Wellington is to grow in population in line with the government’s housing plans – including a 41% increase in planned housing numbers in Somerset – then the town will desperately need more GPs and ultimately a new surgery to cater for them.

“Residents rightly want to see new infrastructure, such as more GPs, before new housing is built and that’s what I’m going to be campaigning for.”

Wellington Town Council said it was “unaware that this was being considered and is concerned about the impact of this decision on the community both now and in the context of the town’s predicted growth”.

A spokesperson added: “We are seeking urgent meetings with Wellington Medical Centre and senior managers at Somerset NHS Trust to discuss this.

“The council will also be discussing this at its meeting on Monday (August 4) starting at 7pm at the United Reformed Church Hall, Fore Street.”