NHS Hampshire has decided to close the GP practice at the Hampshire Healthcare Centre located at Basingstoke Hospital next year. The GP practice  operates at the Drop-in Centre, which opened in December 2009, and which is one of the “Darzi Centres” which the last Labour Government ordered every Primary Care Trust to establish, whether it was needed or not.

NHS Hampshire has carried out a review of some of the services provided at the Basingstoke Centre and has found that only 579 people have registered as GP patients, whereas the service was expected to have developed a patient list of 1,000 in year one, rising to 3,000 by year five.

Maria said: “Darzi Centres, ordered by the last Government, have been a huge white elephant and massive waste of money. Many of these centres across the country are now being shut down, because what patients want is a local Doctor’s Surgery with an established patient/ doctor relationship – not an impersonal drop-in centre.”

Maria added: “The contract to run this Centre cost some £8 million over five years - £1.6 million a year.  This money could have been much better used to provide a permanent facility for the residents in Rooksdown, less than a mile away.”

NHS Hampshire has confirmed that, for patients who wish to remain registered with a local practice, there are adequate places for all patients to register with other GPs in the area, and there are six GP practices within two miles of the Centre. 

Patients registered with the dental practice based at the Hampshire Healthcare Centre should note that NHS Hampshire is committed to ensuring that the dental service remains available to patients.