NEARLY a thousand patients have been told they will have to find another GP practice, as the region's medical manpower crisis deepens.

The Medical Practice has written to 950 patients in Lanchester, near Durham, warning them that their local surgery will have to close.

The letter says the action has been forced on the practice because it is two doctors short of the number it needs.

County Durham appears to be bearing the brunt of GP shortages. This is the third practice in 18 months to warn patients they will have to look elsewhere for medical treatment.

One of the factors that has pushed the practice over the brink is the loss of two part-time Spanish GPs, part of a wave of Spanish medics imported by North-East health bosses last year.

It is understood that one of the Spanish GPs has moved to Iceland and the other is working part-time for a different practice in the Chester-le-Street area.

The letter says: "Those doctors who have worked in the surgery over the years consider the patients as friends which makes our decision all the more painful."

Lanchester is served by two other GP practices. If the closure plan is accepted by Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust arrangements will be made to ensure patients will not be without a doctor.

Late last year another County Durham practice sent letters to its 14,400 patients telling them the St Margaret's Surgery, in Durham city centre, would probably have to close because of GP shortages.

In January 800 patients were removed from the list of a practice in Rowland's Gill, County Durham, again because of GP shortages. All the practices have had a very poor response to advertisements placed in the medical press.

David Woodhead, chief officer of North Durham Community Health Council, said: "It is all very well saying there are other practices in the village but their lists may already be full."

Dr John Canning, a Middlesbrough doctor who is a member of the British Medical Association's national GP committee, said: "I don't think we are winning the battle over GP recruitment at the moment."

Health bosses have estimated there are about 30 GP vacancies in County Durham and Teesside. Dr Canning said the true number needed "is more like 90 GPs.