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More than 200,000 patients have been forced to find a new GP following a spate of surgery closures last year.

Data shows that the number of patients displaced has risen by 50% as 72 GP practices were closed in England in 2015.

The shocking figures reveal a growing crisis in the provision of general practice, with the number of practices either closing altogether or shutting down branch surgeries rising by 40%.

The number of patients displaced has increased steadily from 43,000 in 2013 and 138,000 in 2014, an investigation by GPs’ magazine Pulse has found.

This came as 20 surgeries were closed in 2013 and 51 in 2014.

Mergers were the reason 71 surgeries were closed over the last three years.

Read more:Why are junior doctors striking?

Dr Richard Vautrey, deputy chairman of the General Practitioners Committee, said: “It’s becoming increasingly difficult for small practices to cope with rising levels of bureaucracy and manage their workload.

“Often they work in inner-city areas serving deprived communities which can be really quite challenging.

“They haven’t had the investment in premises and other types of development, so it’s very difficult to attract new GPs to go in there and work alongside them.”

The figures come days before GP leaders debate emergency measures to ensure the future of general practice, including mass resignation.

Latest statistics show there are 7,962 GPs surgeries in England.