A GP has warned that time is running out to secure frontline healthcare for more than 8,000 patients in Aberdeen.
Brimmond Medical Group in Bucksburn and Dyce will close at the end of September given a large number of departing GPs and difficulties in replacing them.
Dr Malcolm Valentine, principle partner at the surgery, said he was concerned that no clear plan for future patient care had emerged from NHS Grampian, which has legal responsibility for providing GP services.
NHS Grampian is set to buy the practice building in Inverurie Road from Dr Valentine and his fellow partners as negotiations progress.
But the doctor, who has practised at Brimmond for 29 years, said patients had become increasingly anxious over who their GP will be from the autumn.
Dr Valentine said: “Time is drifting and none of us have any feel for the style or the complexion of the service that NHS Grampian is intending.
“It is starting to become unsettling for patients and staff alike.”
NHS Grampian is in talks with other GPs in the city over future cover at Brimmond.
However, it is expected that a high number of advanced nurse practitioners will staff Brimmond given the difficulties hiring GPs in the north east.
Technically, Brimmond needs just one GP in order to secure the contract to run the surgery.
It comes as health chiefs across the UK devise new ways of delivering primary care given less graduates choosing to enter general practice.
This is combined with high numbers of GP retiring with figures showing that more than one-on four family doctors in Aberdeen due to retire in the next 10 years.
High levels of part-time GPs also add pressures to the system, with 62% of family doctors in the city working on this basis.
A letter was sent from out to 8,000 Brimmond patients this week from practice managers.
It said: “There has been a noticeable increase in queries from patients in the past couple of weeks around future service provision of medical services.
“Understandably anxieties increase as time moves on, a difficult and callenging time for all patients and staff associated with Brimmond Medical Group.
“There is currently no information beingpassed onto the practice from NHS Grampian (as dictated by their processes( and although this is extremely unsettling for all involved with Brimmond Medical Group we have to respect this.
“The practice has however received some open communication from parties who have registered and interest in this area which is encouraging.”
A spokeswoman for NHS Grampian said the health board would be in touch with negotiations had reached the next stage.
He said:”The Board has a statutory duty to secure General Medical Services for the community and ensure everyone has access to a GP after 1st October 2015. We continue to work with the practices in the area and local clinical leads to discuss and explore options and models for providing medical services for these patients.
“A formal process is underway to secure future services. Due to the commercially sensitive nature of this, we are unable to provide details but are confident that this will secure services within the timescale required.
“We will be in touch with patients as there is news to give them, meanwhile patients continue to receive services from Brimmond Medical Group and we remain committed to ensuring that everyone from that practice has access to a GP after 1st October 2015.”