Controversial GP company hands back last three Welsh GP practice contracts

The GP-led company eHarley Street will hand back its three remaining GP practice contracts in Wales in April.

The Leicester-based company has resigned from the GMS contracts for Lliswerry Medical Practice, Meddygfa Gelligaer Surgery, and Pontypool Medical Centre, according to Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB). 

eHarley Street said it was handing back the contracts because its ‘operating model is not suited to the current structure of primary care in Wales’.

The GP partnership of Dr Jalil Ahmed and Dr Jonathan Allinson had already handed back several Welsh GP contracts last year following concerns over its failure to pay locum staff. 

ABUHB told Pulse: ‘The GP partnership of Dr Allinson and Dr Ahmed has formally notified the Health Board of its decision to resign from the General Medical Services (GMS) contracts for Lliswerry Medical Practice, Meddygfa Gelligaer Surgery, and Pontypool Medical Centre.

‘The Health Board is working closely with the Partnership to ensure a smooth transition. From 1 April 2026, all three practices will be managed by the Health Board while longer-term arrangements for their future delivery are considered.

‘We would like to reassure staff and patients that access to GP services will continue as normal at these practices, and no disruption to care is expected. We will keep staff and patients fully informed of any developments or changes as this process progresses.’

An eHarley Street spokesperson told Pulse: ‘The partnership has taken the decision to step back from its Welsh GP practices with effect from 1 April 2026.

‘After a period of operating within the Welsh primary care system, the partnership has concluded that its operating model is not suited to the current structure of primary care in Wales and has therefore taken this decision. The partnership will meet all contractual requirements in relation to this decision to ensure continuity of care for all patients within these practices.

‘The partnership would like to thank the clinicians, managers and staff it worked with across the surgeries in Wales. Their professionalism and commitment to patient care are recognised and appreciated. The partnership has learned a great deal during its time in Wales and has used this learning positively to inform and strengthen its ongoing work.’

Last year, Welsh politicians revealed eHarley Street owed money to more than 40 GPs, with two ‘owed in excess of £300,000 from contracts that haven’t been fulfilled by eHarley Street’. 

When concerns were raised in late 2024, ABUHB emphasised the GMS contracts for the practices were held with Drs Ahmed and Allinson rather than with eHarley Street Primary Care Solutions. 

However, GPs and staff told Pulse that day-to-day management of the surgeries sits with eHarley Street, based in England, and the Welsh practices are listed under ‘our practices’ on the company’s website (since deactivated). 

ABUHB subsequently published a report into the issue, which acknowledged ‘financial challenges’ experienced by the company and the ‘failure to pay locum staff’. 

But last October, Torfaen Labour MS Lynne Neagle and Labour MP for Torfaen Nick Thomas-Symonds demanded an investigation into the relationship between eHarley Street and ABUHB.