Patients of Corporation Road Surgery in Butetown, Cardiff, are facing uncertainty after GP management company eHarley Street announced it would be handing back the practice to the local health board. The decision has sparked concern among the 3,000 registered patients, as well as criticism from officials and healthcare professionals who have previously raised alarms about the company’s management of surgeries across Wales. Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has acknowledged the anxiety this transition may cause and has assured the public that efforts are underway to ensure continuity of care.
The move marks the sixth Welsh surgery managed by eHarley Street to be returned to local health authorities, following ongoing scrutiny over safety, staffing, and supply issues. Reports from BBC Wales at the end of last year revealed that the company was facing mounting criticism from both medical professionals and First Minister Eluned Morgan. Some locum doctors had even refused to work at the company’s managed practices due to claims of unpaid wages totaling around £250,000. These concerns had fueled fears about the quality and stability of services provided under eHarley Street’s management.
A letter seen by BBC Wales confirmed that the partners running Corporation Road Surgery were resigning from their General Medical Services (GMS) contract. The GP partners, who are also responsible for eHarley Street, cited political, financial, and operational pressures as key reasons for relinquishing their role. This development has raised further questions about how a private company based in Leicestershire came to oversee multiple NHS surgeries in Wales and whether there were sufficient safeguards in place to protect patient interests.
Amid the transition, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has sought to reassure patients that appropriate healthcare services will continue. A public meeting is set to take place next week to discuss how medical care will be delivered in the future. The health board has emphasized its commitment to maintaining local services, stating that its primary focus is ensuring that care remains accessible to the community. However, the uncertainty surrounding the transition has left many patients worried about potential disruptions to their treatment, especially those with long-term conditions or complex medical needs.
The situation at Corporation Road Surgery is part of a broader issue affecting multiple surgeries previously managed by eHarley Street. Until recently, the company had oversight of nine Welsh GP practices, including those in Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Caerphilly, and Newport. However, increasing reports of staffing shortages, unpaid wages, and supply problems led to growing dissatisfaction among both patients and healthcare workers. In some cases, doctors described conditions as “dangerous” and warned of “potentially catastrophic” consequences if these issues were not addressed.
Calls for an inquiry into eHarley Street’s role in the Welsh NHS have intensified in recent months. Senedd members have demanded answers regarding how the company was allowed to operate within the public healthcare system and whether sufficient due diligence was conducted before awarding management contracts. The lack of prompt action from health officials has also come under scrutiny, with reports indicating that NHS representatives took months to meet with affected doctors despite repeated concerns being raised.
In response to the growing backlash, eHarley Street has maintained that it faced significant financial difficulties but was committed to overcoming these challenges. The company has previously denied allegations of mismanagement, stating that it does not hold any General Medical Services contracts in Wales. Despite these claims, the pattern of surgeries being handed back and the concerns raised by healthcare professionals suggest that deeper systemic issues may be at play.
For patients of Corporation Road Surgery, the immediate priority is clarity on what comes next. The health board has pledged to keep the community informed as it works towards a long-term solution. However, for many, the prospect of transitioning to a new healthcare provider brings anxiety and uncertainty. As discussions continue, there remains a pressing need for greater oversight of private companies operating within public healthcare to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.
