NHS bosses took months to meet over GP firm complaints

NHS officials took months to meet doctors following complaints about surgeries run by GP management company, eHarley Street.

The company has been criticised by patients, doctors and the first minister, and is now handing back most of its Welsh practices, which apart from one in Cardiff, are in the Aneurin Bevan health board area.

It follows safety, staffing and supply concerns revealed by BBC Wales at the end of last year.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has been asked to comment.

Concerns about surgeries in Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Newport and Caerphilly county were raised last August.

But health board officials only met the GPs responsible in late October, according to an internal health board document seen by BBC Wales.

It also shows the health board gave the GPs who also run eHarley Street more public money after concerns were raised.

The document states: "In August 2024, concerns were highlighted to the health board by local staff."

It goes on to add: "The health board has instigated a period of enhanced monitoring for the GP partnership with bi-weekly meetings.

"The focus of these meetings is governance, workforce and finance as well as any specific concerns.

"The first of these meetings was held on 28 October 2024".

Internal Aneurin Bevan University Health Board documents have been seen by BBC Wales after a freedom of information request to the Welsh government.

The documents show the health board blamed social media for the rise in patient concerns.

"There have been several social media posts which have encouraged the public to contact the health board to raise concerns, as a result there has been an increased number of concerns for Brynmawr in particular," it said.

The internal "Briefing for Chair" document outlines some of the concerns raised, including a lack of clinical cover, a failure to pay locum staff, a failure to pay suppliers and the cleanliness of practice premises.

eHarley Street has been approached for comment.

In a previous statement, the partners who run the surgeries said they faced "significant financial constraints" but were "committed to addressing these challenges".

Senedd members have already called for answers to how the Leicestershire-based private company came to operate within the Welsh NHS.

Welsh surgeries managed by eHarley Street:

• Brynmawr Medical Practice, Blaenau Gwent
• Blaenavon Medical Practice, Torfaen
• Pontypool Medical Centre, Torfaen
• Bryntirion Surgery, Bargoed, Caerphilly
• Tredegar Medical Practice, Blaenau Gwent
• Aberbeeg Medical Practice, Blaenau Gwent
• Gelligaer Surgery, Caerphilly county
• Lliswerry Medical Centre, Newport
• The Corporation Road Surgery, Cardiff

eHarley Street manages nine surgeries in Wales but is handing back five to the Aneurin Bevan health board.

The documents show that when concerns were raised about the practices, "assurances" were given to the health board "by the central operations manager on behalf of the partnership".

Each NHS surgery is contracted to individual GPs who have responsibility for that practice.

The documents show the health board gave extra public money to the doctors responsible for the surgeries - who are also the bosses of eHarley Street - to pay for locum GPs.

"In order to maintain safe levels of clinical cover the health board has agreed financial support for locum reimbursement", the document said.

However, some locum GPs are still waiting to be paid months after working in eHarley Street surgeries - some are taking legal action to recover their wages.

In December, there were demands for an inquiry into eHarley Street after patients, some with terminal illnesses, said they were having difficulty accessing appointments and treatments.

"It frightens me - I don't feel safe," said Katrina Hughes, 69, a terminal cancer patient who struggled to get an appointment or see the same doctor at Brynmawr Medical Practice in Blaenau Gwent.

"There's no continuity of care at all."

She was among around 100 people who attended a public meeting to discuss services at the practice - many said they struggled to get appointments or were waiting for medication and test results.