A MEDICAL centre has been forced to close after no-one could be found to run it.

The South Tees Clinical Commissioning group (CCG) had looked at a number of options for Hemlington Medical Centre, in Middlesbrough, but has now announced it will end services there on September 30.

It had hoped to find a new provider or extend the existing contract for longer, but all options have now been exhausted.

Tom Blenkinsop, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said: “This is a sad end to a long fight to keep GP services in Hemlington.

“After securing an extension to the existing contract this is a hard blow to the thousands of Hemlington residents who use the centre. This is a massive step backwards for the NHS in our area. This is just another victim of the GP recruitment crisis. Time after time reports have said that the North East is the hardest place to recruit and maintain GPs but nothing has been done to solve this crisis which will leave thousands of my constituents looking for a new GP. I will be raising this issue in Parliament when it returns.”

Hemlington provides services to almost 2,000 patients – lower than the contracted targets which were expected to be about 6,000.

Bondcare had delivered the contract, which was due to end in 2014 but was extended to earlier this year. NHS England approached practices in Durham, Darlington and Tees, asking for expressions of interest to take on the surgery, but nothing suitable was found. It also extended the contract until the end of September to allow more time.