UNDER-PRESSURE town centre surgeries are being forced to turn away new patients as they hit breaking point.

Three out of four of the GP surgeries based in Clacton town centre have had to take the difficult decision to stop adding new patients to their books.

They are among 100 surgeries across the country which applied to NHS England to close their lists last year.

Most are struggling against a crippling staffing crisis which means they cannot cope with any more patients – and one surgery manager says the situation is close to becoming critical.

St James’ Surgery, in Wash Lane, had to close its books last April due to demand, forcing new patients to look elsewhere.

Ranworth Surgery, in Pier Avenue, took the same measure, and now East Lynne Medical Centre, in Wellesley Road, has been forced to follow suit.

Surgery bosses say the cut-off was needed to make sure they could care for the people already on their books.

Ranworth practice manager Andrew Sarek said: “St James closed its books last year and clearly that will have an effect on us.

“We started taking on 120 people a month, which is an awful lot, and we just couldn’t continue and make sure everyone was cared for properly.

“We contacted NHS England and told them about our circumstances and they agreed that we could close our list.

“East Lynne has had to do the same now, leaving just Old Road Medical Centre accepting new patients, but given the numbers we are seeing it is only a matter of time before they have to do the same.

“It is caused by doctors simply not wanting to come here. We just don’t have the staff. It is a problem across the country, but it is more acute here.”

Ranworth treated more than 200 patients on Monday alone.

East Lynne Medical Centre informed NHS England that it would have to temporarily close new registrations in December.

A statement issued by the partners said: “We have taken this step after much thought and consideration, but we believe this to be the only way at the present time that we can maintain the most effective and safe service for our patients.”

They said they could not cope with a “flood” of new patient requests, but were hoping to reopen the list in February.

A “golden hello” scheme was set up 18 months ago to give £10,000 bonuses to new GPs moving into north Essex in a bid to attract more doctors. But almost every surgery in the area is still struggling with a lack of staff.

Mr Sarek said heads of the four town centre surgeries had met for talks in a bid to ease the crisis.

He added: “We have had meetings about how we can share resources and make things more efficient.

“It is obvious that things need to change because it is not sustainable as it is.

“From where we are at the moment, if two or three doctors were to leave then it would be critical.”

A meeting of every surgery in north-east Essex is also being organised by the clinical commissioning group to discuss the current problems.

An NHS England spokesman said: “Latest figures show there are over 5,000 more full-time equivalent GPs than ten years ago. However, we know GPs are under pressure.

When we receive a request to close a GP practice list, we consider both the impact on patients, as well as on neighbouring practices and services, to avoid displacing a problem elsewhere.

“We’re working hard to support GPs, including investing £15million in a ten-point plan to boost the workforce, and £10million to help vulnerable practices.

“We’ll soon be introducing a national occupational health specification, which will ensure consistent support for GPs, and we’re also working with others including the British Medical Association to develop new services to combat issues like stress and burnout.”