NHS bosses yesterday moved to calm patients’ fears after both partner doctors at an embattled Letchworth GP surgery announced their imminent departure.

Patients of the Sollershott Surgery – which was placed in special measures two months ago – this week received letters informing them that Dr Richard Nevard was retiring at the end of the year, with Dr Nes Irvine set to leave as well.

The letters came from the East and North Herts Clinical Commissioning Group – a spokeswoman for which told the Comet there was no need for patients to worry.

“East and North Hertfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS England are working together to ensure that patients can continue to use GP services as normal at Sollershott Surgery,” she said.

“We’d like to reassure patients there is no need to move practices.

“A new team of interim doctors will be appointed to provide GP services at the surgery until new doctors are permanently in place. Patients will be able to make appointments to see a doctor or nurse at the surgery in the same way as before.

“In the longer term a new contract for GP services will be put in place.

“Patients registered at Sollershott Surgery have been informed and we will be writing to them again in the new year to seek their views about what they want from their local health services so that we can ensure their comments are considered in our future planning.”

The quality of care at the surgery in Sollershott East was called ‘inadequate’ in September’s scathing Care Quality Commission report, with inspectors finding safety and leadership had ‘major flaws’.

For more see the surgery’s website at thesollershottsurgery.nhs.uk.