A surgery with 2,732 patients on its books could face closure, leaving patients having to potentially travel five miles for healthcare.

The Hawkinge branch of The Surgery is asking patients to complete a survey as part of a consultation into the closure.

It comes after Folkestone East Family Practice wound up last year and patients of the Church Lane Surgery in New Romney were told they may have to change doctors.

In a letter sent by Dr Zaw Thike, the Hawkinge surgery’s principal GP, patients were told: “Although patients have been seen at our Hawkinge branch site for well over 20 years, the premises make it difficult to provide certain aspects of patient care, as well as not having the space to provide nursing support for the GPs during clinics.

“We are contacting you to let you know that after a lot of discussion and consideration the practice is proposing to close its Hawkinge branch surgery.

“We are aware that this will not be a popular decision with some patients, however we have explored many options.”

The letter continues to say talks over plans for a new premises with developers and South Kent Coast CCG have broken down.

It also lists seven points why the current surgery, based in Canterbury Road, is no longer viable.

The premises is no longer Care Quality Commission compliant, it lacks examination rooms, a nurse, disabled access, and slow computers are outlined as reasons for the decision.

If the closure goes ahead Hawkinge patients will still be seen at The Surgery’s Lyminge base, house bound and frail patients will still receive care and prescriptions services will still be available at Paydens and Vision Pharmacy.

Patients have until February 9 to return a questionnaire over the proposals.

It asks whether patients support the plans and how they would access GP services in the “likely event” the surgery closes.

Nobody at the surgery was available for comment.

Folkestone East Family Practice shut its doors in November after failing to recruit GPs to fill vacant positions.

Seven out of eight local practices initially refused to take any of the displaced patients, claiming it would ‘jeopardise care’.

The surgeries’ refusal was dismissed by South Kent Coast Clinical Commissioning Group, meaning that they had to register the displaced patients.

As of last October, the seven surgeries had a collective shortage of 16 GPs.

In a joint statement at the time the practices said: “Every surgery is struggling to meet demand.”

Out of the 4,500 patients who were registered at Folkestone East, 300 have still not been re-registered or are in the process of being moved. In December, 6,000 patients in Romney Marsh were told they may have to change doctors.

South Kent Coast Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) issued letters to patients at Church Lane Surgery, New Romney, outlining the potential changes.

The letter follows a recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) investigation, which resulted in the surgery being rated “requiring improvement”, with inspectors uncovering inconsistent care and difficulty making appointments.

The letter to Church Lane patients this week explains that the contract held by Invicta Health – the company responsible for running the surgery – expires in April.

The CCG, responsible for commissioning primary care, said it is in talks with Invicta and local GPs to “look at a range of options” when the contract ends.