MS raises concerns over the future of GP practices in the area

A warning that a rural GP surgery in north Powys could close has sparked renewed questions about the sustainability of primary care across Mid Wales, with practices in larger towns such as Newtown and Welshpool also facing rising pressure.

The potential closure of the Llanrhaeadr Medical Centre - part of the Llanfyllin Group Practice - has prompted Montgomeryshire MS Russell George and Powys county councillor Aled Davies to call for urgent action from the Welsh Government, arguing that the current GP funding formula is putting rural and semi-rural practices under strain.

While Llanrhaeadr is outside the Newtown area, concerns raised in the Senedd this week highlight an issue many local surgeries are experiencing, such as rising costs, recruitment challenges and increasing patient demand across a large rural patch.

Mr George warned that the funding model “fails to recognise the real costs of delivering services in a rural area,” where practices often operate over multiple sites and cover large geographical areas. He said the situation at Llanrhaeadr illustrates a wider pattern that could further impact access to GP services in towns such as Newtown, which already sees high demand for appointments from surrounding villages.

“Rural practices are carrying extra costs to keep doors open across large areas, without the additional support needed,” he said. “If funding doesn’t reflect that reality, more communities will feel the impact.”

The Health Secretary, Jeremy Miles, acknowledged the pressures facing Powys during Senedd questions, saying the importance of primary care in the county had been “very central” to recent discussions with Powys Teaching Health Board. He said a statement on GP funding negotiations is expected “reasonably shortly”.

Cllr Davies said challenges in rural areas inevitably place greater strain on larger towns.

“When surgeries in very rural areas struggle, the pressure shifts to practices in towns like Welshpool and Newtown,” he said. “Access to GP services is getting harder and harder every day. We need a funding model that reflects what it actually costs to deliver care across Mid Wales.”

Health leaders in Powys have long warned that GP services across the region operate under unique pressures because of distance, poor public transport links and a higher proportion of older patients.

Campaigners say that while the immediate risk relates to the Llanfyllin Group Practice, the wider issue has implications for the whole county, including Newtown’s practices, which already support some of the largest patient lists in Powys.

Mr George said he hoped the Welsh Government’s upcoming statement on GP funding would address the concerns raised by practices across Mid Wales and help ensure services remain accessible to communities of all sizes.