GP surgeries run by controversial firm from England are to be handed back to the NHS

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

A further four GP surgeries in Gwent supported by a controversial firm from England are to be handed back to the NHS.

A partnership by doctors J Ahmed and J Allinson and supported by a private firm, eHarley Street took over the running of several GP practices from the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board in early 2024.

But the partnership has been beset by problems and has had to rely on help from the health board after failing to pay locum doctors, suppliers and staff pension contributions. It also owes payments to HMRC.

Last week the partnership voluntarily resigned the contract to run the Brynmawr Medical Centre and returned it to the health board.

Monitoring

At the time board chief executive Nicola Prygodzicz said it had been monitoring complaints at the partnership’s management since October and it would place four other surgeries under enhanced monitoring.

It has now confirmed Aberbeeg Medical Centre in Abertillery, Blaenavon Medical Practice, Bryntirion Surgery in Bargoed and Tredegar Medical Practice have also been resigned by the partnership.

A health board spokesman said: “Following the announcement that Brynmawr Medical Practice will be handed back to the health board, we have now also received the resignation of the GP partnership between Dr Allinson and Dr Ahmed for the contracts that they hold at four more practices – Aberbeeg Medical Centre, Blaenavon Medical Practice, Bryntirion Surgery and Tredegar Medical Practice.”

They added: “We are continuing to work closely with the staff at all the practices involved, as well as with the local communities they serve to ensure they receive good access to quality primary care services within their local areas. We want to thank these communities for their understanding and support as we transition these arrangements.

“The GP partnership remains in enhanced monitoring for the remaining practices they hold contracts for within the Health Board and we will continue to work closely with them to ensure primary care services are sustainable and meet the needs of our patients.”

Remaining contracts

The partnership’s remaining contracts are for the Lliswery surgery in Newport and Pontypool surgery.

Practices in Aberbeeg and Blaenavon will be managed by the board from March 1 and the practices in Bryntirion and Tredegar from April 1.

At the board’s most recent meeting it said its monitoring hasn’t identified any patient safety concerns and it has been checking how the practices handle calls from patients and whether appointments are available among other issues.

GP surgeries are normally privately managed by doctors who form a private partnership. eHarley Street provided back office support functions to the Ahmed/Allinson which took over a number of surgeries that had previously been directly managed by the health board.