The procurement process to seek a new provider for each, as well as Lochinch in Stranraer, has commenced, with details advertised on a national contracts portal.
Currently the practices are being managed by the health board, and referred to as 2C practices — meaning the responsibility for the day-to-day running sits with NHS Dumfries and Galloway and not, as is the normal model, with the practices themselves.
GP recruitment issues at all three led to the health board stepping in at different points, and they will remain in place until the board is confident that the new provider will be able to take responsibility for the management of the practices.
A spokesman said: “NHS Dumfries and Galloway regards moves to re-establish these practices in the hands of independent contractors as a very positive development, recognising that this will place them in line with the majority of other GP practices within the region.
“Updates will be provided as this work continues in the hope of a fast and positive outcome.”
In October 2018, 800 of the 5500 patients at Lockerbie were moved to Lochmaben Medical Practice and a further 250 living outside the practice area were asked to move to surgeries nearer where they live.
The transfer was part of a plan to ease pressure on Lockerbie surgery which had been relying heavily on locums and was struggling to cope with increasing demand and continuity.
In April 2018, the health board consolidated services at the two Moffat surgeries into one at the High Street Surgery, which has been managed by the board since October 2016.
