Support for Integrated Care Board to avoid Practice closures or Practice contract terminations.
At The Practice Professionals we support ICB and Practices to avoid GP surgery closures or contract terminations. Practice closures create a cascade of problems that affect patient care, system performance, and statutory responsibilities. The reasons why it important to avoid GP practices closures is below:
1. Disruption to Patient Care
ICBs are responsible for ensuring equitable access to primary care. When a GP surgery closes:
- Thousands of patients are left without immediate access to a GP.
- Continuity of care is broken, especially for patients with long-term or complex conditions.
- There is a risk of patients “falling through the cracks,” particularly vulnerable individuals.
This directly undermines an ICB objectives around population health management and reducing health inequalities.
2. Increased Pressure on the System
ICBs oversee the whole system, not just primary care, so they understand more than the domino effect of a practice closure:
- Nearby GP practices face sudden surges in patient lists and appointment demand.
- A&E and UCCs become overwhelmed with patients who have no GP alternative.
- Mental health services, district nursing, and out-of-hours care are placed under added strain.
This leads to inefficiency, higher costs, and poorer patient experiences outcomes which ICBs are tasked with avoiding.
3. Health Inequality and Equity Concerns
ICBs are mandated to reduce health inequalities. GP closures, especially in deprived or rural areas:
- Disproportionately affect the most vulnerable populations.
- Reduce access to preventive care, screening, and early intervention.
- Widen existing disparities in health outcomes.
Avoiding closures aligns with the core mission of ICBs to create fairer, more equitable access to care.
4. Financial and Political Implications
- Replacing or redistributing a closed practice’s patient load is costly and complex.
- ICBs may need to fund temporary services (e.g. APMS contracts, extended hours hubs) at greater expense.
- Surgery closures often spark public outcry, media attention, and pressure from local politicians and councillors.
Maintaining stable, functioning practices is far less costly and more politically sustainable than managing the fallout of closures.
5. System Reputation and Public Trust
Every practice closure chips away at public confidence in the NHS and in ICB leadership.
- Patients may feel abandoned or neglected.
- Communities may become disengaged from health initiatives or screening programmes.
ICBs want to preserve public trust in the local healthcare system — and visible service loss undermines that goal.
In Summary
ICBs need to take action to avoid GP surgery closures because they:
- Undermine care quality and access
- Increase system-wide demand and cost
- Exacerbate health inequalities
- Trigger political and public backlash
- Conflict with ICB statutory duties and long-term goals
That’s why its important for ICBs top intervene and fund or support turnaround services to stabilise struggling practices before closure becomes inevitable.
Contact The Practice Professionals to find out how we can support struggling Practices within your ICB.