A GP surgery that serves more than 4,000 patients faces an uncertain future.

Orchard House Surgery in Lydd is set to stop services in April.

The Bleak Road surgery is currently run by a group of four GPs after previous leader Dr Selina Swann stepped down in 2019.

But the group has decided to shut down the service at the surgery after Friday, April 30, with a decision on "the way forward" to be made in March.

The situation is being managed by the Kent and Medway Clinical Commisioning Group (CCG) and it is believed the aim is to keep services going under new management.

Bill Millar, the CCG's director of primary care, broke the news in a letter to patients seen by KentOnline.

He said: "NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which is responsible for making sure patients have access to GP practice services, is engaging with patients of Orchard House Surgery in Lydd about the future of services at that site.

"The CCG recognises this will be a worrying time for patients"

"It is our priority to ensure that all patients registered at Orchard House Surgery can continue to access a full range of GP services at their surgery and we are currently looking at solutions to achieve this.

"Please be assured that all patients who are affected by these changes will continue to receive care. In the meantime, we are gathering feedback from patients on GP services."

"An engagement report summarising all feedback received will be compiled and submitted to the CCG's Primary Care Commissioning Committee (PCCC), along with recommendations for the future provision of GP services for patients registered at Orchard House Surgery. The PCCC is expected to make a decision on the way forward at its meeting on 18 March 2021.

"The CCG recognises this will be a worrying time for patients of the practice and we will do our best to ensure a future for GP services at the practice. If you have any questions about this, please email kmccg.primarycare@nhs.net."

Folkestone and Hythe District Councillor Clive Goddard said he was keen to see services retained at the surgery.

He said: "The Marsh, and Lydd especially, is remote and has a high proportion of elderly residents who won't want to see the surgery shut down.

"I just hope that the CCG will be willing and able to bring in more doctors to keep services running to avoid displacing the thousands of patients who use Orchard House".

A spokesman for NHS Kent and Medway CCG said: “Orchard House Surgery in Lydd is currently managed by a group of GPs who have made the decision not to continue to provide services there after 30 April 2021.

“The CCG has no plans for the surgery to close. It is an absolute priority for a new provider to be appointed and for patient services to continue after this date.

“Patients will receive a letter this week asking them to take part in a survey about the current service and we would encourage everyone to take part.”

Read more: All the latest news from Romney Marsh