Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of open GP practices (a) on the most recent date for which figures are held and (b) in 2010 in Birmingham Northfield constituency.

Data provided by NHS England Digital shows that in May 2014, the earliest year from which data is available, there were 18 open general practices (GPs) in the Birmingham Northfield constituency, and as of May 2024 there are 15 open GPs in the constituency. The data only includes main practices, and does not include branch practices.

GPs close for a variety of reasons, including mergers or retirement, so this does not necessarily indicate a reduction in the quality of care. When a GP does close, patients are informed of the closure and advised to register at another local practice of their choice, within their area.