Pulse in the press: practice closures

Pulse revealed almost 100 GP surgeries shut in 2020, causing an estimated 263,000 patients to relocate to a different practice as a result. The story on practice closures was picked up by the national press.

Pulse Deputy Editor Nicola Merrifield was interviewed about the practice closures on LBC, and the story was also picked up by the Telegraph, the 'I' newspaper and the Express.

The findings from our annual investigation, based on sending freedom of information requests to all CCGs and health boards across the UK, comes after years of high numbers of practice closures, up from just 18 shutting in 2013.

GPs told us the same problems causing closures remain – including retirements, not enough staff, high workloads and escalating premises costs – and that tackling the Covid-19 pandemic has been another pressure to add to the list.