Local health authorities have confirmed that Wellington will be left with just one doctors’ surgery this autumn following the permanent closure of Luson Surgery. Currently, Wellington benefits from two surgeries located within a short distance of each other: Luson Surgery on Fore Street and Wellington Medical Centre on Mantle Street.
Luson Surgery has served over 6,600 patients but has struggled with chronic staff shortages, maintaining only two registered GPs. Facing ongoing challenges, NHS Somerset announced that Luson Surgery will close permanently on September 26, with all patients automatically transferred to Wellington Medical Centre.
In an official statement, NHS Somerset detailed their extensive support for Luson Surgery over the past 18 months amidst persistent resilience and sustainability issues. Staffing constraints and the building’s physical limitations were cited as the primary obstacles. The surgery was one of 14 local practices identified by NHS Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group in 2020 as needing expansion or relocation due to growing housing developments.
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Efforts to find a long-term viable solution to keep Luson Surgery open have been unsuccessful, leading the GP partners at the practice to resign their contract. Following the closure, patients will be automatically transferred to Wellington Medical Centre starting September 29. Those wishing to register with another GP practice nearby may do so after a four-week waiting period.
NHS Somerset is working closely with Wellington Medical Centre to ensure adequate staffing and resources are in place by September to accommodate the influx of patients without compromising care quality. Communications regarding the changes are being sent to Luson Surgery’s patients via post, text, and the NHS app.
Looking ahead, Wellington and the nearby village of Rockwell Green are poised for significant housing growth, which may further strain local GP services. Developments including a 200-home project on Nynehead Road and an approved 315-home estate with a convenience store on Exeter Road will increase the town’s population and healthcare demands.
Taunton and Wellington MP Gideon Amos expressed his disappointment over the closure but acknowledged the dedication of healthcare staff. He pledged to advocate for increased funding for local GPs and emphasized the urgent need for more doctors and a new surgery to support the town’s expanding population.
Amos stated, “If Wellington’s population grows in line with government housing plans—forecasting a 41% increase in Somerset’s housing numbers—the town must have the infrastructure, including more GPs, to meet residents’ needs. This is what I will be campaigning for.”