Rural GP closures raise concerns over access to healthcare in England

The warning follows the recent closure of a GP practice in North Yorkshire, leaving around 1,600 patients needing to register with a new surgery. The British Medical Association said the loss of local practices can have significant consequences for rural communities, where residents often face longer journeys, limited public transport and fewer alternative healthcare providers.

According to the BMA, England has seen a substantial reduction in the number of independent community GP practices over the past decade. Since 2015, 1,474 practices have either closed or merged, while the number of full-time equivalent GPs has also fallen despite continued growth in patient demand.

Medical leaders say the impact is often felt most acutely in rural areas, where practices serve dispersed populations and many patients are older or living with long-term conditions. When a surgery closes, neighbouring practices can experience increased workloads, while patients may have to travel further for appointments and experience reduced continuity of care.

Research published in the Royal College of General Practitioners’s British Journal of General Practice found that closures of general practices accelerated significantly during the late 2010s and can place additional pressure on surviving practices, affecting workload and resources.

The BMA is calling for greater support to help sustain rural general practice, arguing that maintaining local surgeries is essential to ensuring equitable access to primary care. The organisation says investment in the GP workforce and long-term planning will be important if rural communities are to retain local healthcare services.

For healthcare providers and commissioners, the issue highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing workforce shortages, financial pressures and increasing patient demand while ensuring people living in rural areas can continue to access timely, high-quality primary care.