Dover Medical Practice shuts its doors today – and Pencester Health, in the same building, has taken on most of its patients.

The practice announced its closure some six months ago, due to the fact private health care provider Concordia were retracting their contract.

Feedback from patients stated that 98% of them wanted another care provider to take over, but this has not materialised.

People have had to re-register themselves at another practice, many choosing to do so with Pencester Health.

Patients protested last month outside the surgery in the hope of preventing the proposed closure of the medical practice.

Signatures were collected by protest organiser Susan Fox and fellow patients Bob Osborne and Charlotte Starbuck.

But still, NHS England confirmed it was going to close.

A spokesman for NHS England (Kent and Medway) said: “NHS England has determined that it should develop a stronger practice within the Dover Health Centre for those patients who wish to be registered there.

“To make this happen, Pencester Health, who also run a GP practice at Dover Health Centre, are now willing to expand their service and take on new patients.

'We are hopeful that this will result in Dover Health Centre housing a stronger and more resilient GP practice.' - NHS England

“We are hopeful that this will result in Dover Health Centre housing a stronger and more resilient GP practice.”

A receptionist at Pencester Health confirmed that nearly all of the patients had re-registered with their services on Tuesday.

The MP, Charlie Elphicke, said: “There are a lot of concerns about how unclear the arrangements are.

“I think it is really important that the intention is for patients to register at Pencester Health.

“I am deeply concerned that the situation isn’t being communicated properly – the patients come first.

“I presented the petition to parliament to make sure the patients are properly cared for and I also made that clear to NHS England.”