Fears over rural GP surgery's month-long closure

39 minutes ago

Heidi Tomlinson,in Helperbyand

Fiona Callow,Yorkshire

News image — The Helperby surgery will be closed for the whole of September

Heidi Tomlinson/BBC A dark brown wooden door with white signage. — The Helperby surgery will be closed for the whole of September

Patients of a GP practice in rural North Yorkshire have expressed concern following an announcement it would be closed for a whole month "due to unforeseen circumstances".

A notice on the Church Lane Surgery website said its Helperby branch would be shut throughout September, adding that patients could still access services at the practice's Boroughbridge site which is just under six miles (9 km) away.

Resident Jil Coles, who has a visual impairment and uses a mobility aid, said "even a short-term disruption" could pose "a big problem for those of us that cannot drive".

Church Lane Surgery was approached by the BBC about the temporary closure, but declined to comment.

According to patients, the surgery only had one doctor, one nurse and two receptionists regularly working there.

Coles said she thought the closure would affect many patients in the short term as some patients "have to get their medication from that surgery on a weekly or fortnightly basis".

"If I need to go to Boroughbridge, I've got to rely on asking my partner to take the day off work," she said.

"Other people will also be relying on friends and family to do exactly the same thing.

"Not everybody has friends and family to be able to get that support."

Heidi Tomlinson/BBC A woman stands on the grass in a fenced garden. She has long blonde hair and wears an off-the-shoulder black top with a floral pattern, dark blue skinny jeans and silver converse-style shoes. She holds a white walking stick with black dots. — Jil Coles said the surgery's temporary closure could pose "a big problem for those of us that cannot drive"

The practice's statement, shared on the Church Lane Surgery website, social media and at the surgery itself, stated: "The Helperby Branch Surgery will be temporarily closed throughout September 2026 due to unforeseen circumstances.

"During this period, patients can continue to access services and appointments at our Boroughbridge site.

"Patients with existing appointments will be contacted where necessary, and our team will be available to assist with any queries or concerns.

"We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this temporary closure may cause and thank you for your patience and understanding."

Heidi Tomlinson/BBC An older man with short white hair stands outside a red-brick building. He wears a white checked shirt. — Mark Darwin is a patient at the surgery and said the closure was "a bit of a heartache"

Mark Darwin, another local resident, said he was "shocked" by the news, and was concerned the temporary closure could be a "prelude to [it] maybe closing full time".

"We've lost enough in the village as it is, and losing the doctors would be a death blow to me. It would be a nail in the coffin," he said.

There is currently no indication that the temporary closure of the practice will become permanent.

Darwin added that although village residents would still be able to access the surgery in Boroughbridge, travelling there could be difficult for some.

"A lot of the people in the village are elderly and they don't have transport," he said.

"It's a bit of a heartache, really, having to ask your neighbour or your friend to take a doctor's appointment when you've got a perfectly good surgery in the village which you can walk to."

Heidi Tomlinson/BBC An older man stands in front of a road, lined by houses and trees. He wears black-framed glasses and wears a grey zip-through fleece and a red top. — Nigel Denison, chair of Brafferton and Helperby Parish Council, said he hoped the closure would not last longer than a month

Nigel Denison, chair of Brafferton and Helperby Parish Council, said the temporary closure had come as "a bit of a surprise" to many.

"The word on the street is that they have had some staffing issues, which a lot of organisations have from time to time. I'm sure they're working hard to get over that," he said.

However, Denison added that he felt "the community can cope", in the short term at least.

"Neighbours and friends can get medication and lifts and so on into Boroughbridge," he explained.

"But were it to be closed for a longer time, that would give a lot of people quite a number of problems, really."

Heidi Tomlinson/BBC A red brick building with red tiles on its roof and a yellow defibrillator box attached to the wall by a window. In the foreground is a small stone shelter with a curved lead roof standing at a road junction. — The GP surgery in Brafferton is expected to open again next month following the temporary closure

Ashley Green, CEO of Healthwatch North Yorkshire, said for patients who did not drive or who were reliant on public transport, the closure could cause "major concern".

"Particularly in rural areas, there is either limited public transport or actually no public transport at all," he said.

"Somebody with complex needs, if they're elderly or a young family with children, and suddenly have to get to a local GP practice quickly and you don't drive, then actually you are then really stuck."

Green acknowledged that GPs were often "the front line" of people accessing numerous healthcare services, including picking up prescriptions.

"They're the first point of call for people to try and access services, and particularly rural locations where you don't have a local hospital, you wouldn't have a day clinic, you wouldn't even have a pharmacy," he said.

"So they are under immense pressure, and I must say most of the time they are doing a brilliant job as well."

Green called for the practice to be "very transparent around the reasons [for] the closure", and "to ensure that the local population are kept up to date".

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.