CONCERNS have been raised about the future of Basingstoke GP surgeries following the news that the company that owns them is looking to sell them all as part of a move to exit the UK health market.

US medical insurance giant Centene is looking to sell nearly 60 NHS GP practices in the UK, including those in Basingstoke – Camrose, Gillies and Hackwood (CGH) Partnership and the Beggarwood Surgery.

As reported in the Financial Times, Centene has launched a sale process for its GP subsidiary Operose, which could sell for around £51.2m, according to sources close to the process.

READ MORE: Councillor calls for improvements to Basingstoke GP surgeries 

The company also announced last week that it has sold its network of 53 UK private hospitals run by Circle Health to PureHealth - a company in the Middle East - for £948m.

This includes The Hampshire Clinic in Basingstoke.

A spokesperson for Circle Health declined to comment but said there will be “no impact” on patient services or day-to-day operations.

Cllr Kim Taylor, a county councillor for Basingstoke Central Division, has responded to the news about the possible sale of Operose with concerns about the future of its GP surgeries in the town.

She said: “It may be too soon to celebrate Centene’s withdrawal from the UK market as we do not know what will happen next. A number of possible options exist, from surgery closures, piecemeal sales, sales to another large corporate or a management buyout by the UK-based Operose senior management team.”

The Basingstoke surgeries have been blighted by problems since they were taken over by Operose.

Last year Operose was the focus of a BBC Panorama investigation that claimed the company was “putting patients at risk” by allowing less qualified staff to see them without supervision.

SEE ALSO: BBC found Operose replacing doctors with less qualified staff

Cllr Taylor said: “I have asked Hampshire County Council officers to ask for an urgent update from the Integrated Care Board to put an end to rumours and get some transparency into the process for residents.”

She added: “Hopefully this will send a message to big foreign corporates to stay out of our healthcare services and GP practices. However, it is very clear that the current model of GP practices needs urgent reform and much more support is needed for GPs and government investment for recruiting and training new GPs is essential.”

David Lawrence, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Basingstoke, also raised concerns about the news, accusing the company of “putting its own profits before the people of Basingstoke”.

He added: “The experience that Camrose, Gillies and Hackwood GP surgeries have had with Operose has been disastrous, and this latest news illustrates one of the key risks of privatising healthcare: US investors will try to make a quick profit and then disappear when economic circumstances change.

“Ultimately this is unsustainable for the NHS, harmful to patients and disrespectful to our hardworking healthcare staff.

The sale of Operose is expected to be made by Christmas this year, according to the Financial Times.

Operose declined to comment.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board spokesperson said: "The Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) commission primary care services with Camrose, Gillies and Hackwood Partnership.

"We are in regular contact with the partnership and have been assured that there will be no impact on patient care or the services they provide at their four sites as and when the sale of their parent company takes place.”

PureHealth and Centene have not responded to a request for a comment.