One in five GP surgeries in London could close in the next three years because of a shortage of doctors, it was claimed today. 

A survey of nearly half of the capital's GP surgeries found that 3 per cent definitely planned to close by 2019, while a further 17 per cent could not rule it out, according to a report by The Observer.

The closures would force nearly a million patients to find a new GP.

The research, carried out out for Londonwide local medical committees (Londonwide LMC), also found that two in five surgeries were becoming more reliant on locum doctors, as high appointment demand combined with unfilled staffing vacancies piled pressure on GPs.

Nearly half the surgeries had at least one vacancy for a GP or practise nurse.

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