Goslar District funds new GP practice to combat rural doctor shortages

Goslar District has approved €50,000 in funding to establish a full general practitioner’s practice in Liebenburg. The decision follows ongoing efforts to address medical care gaps in the region. Local officials and healthcare representatives gathered to present the approval to Franz Thomas Lahmer. Dr. Alexander Saipa, Frank Dresler, and Mayor Alf Hesse officially handed over the funding confirmation to Lahmer. The new practice will operate alongside his existing branch office in Othfresen, where Dr. Karin Dinkel works as an employed physician.

The district’s funding programme has already supported 3.5 statutory health insurance practitioner positions this year. Since its introduction, the initiative has backed 11.75 positions in total, disbursing €587,500. The programme aims to prevent under- or oversupply of medical care by using regional provision levels as a guide.

In 2024, care provision stood at 100% in Bad Harzburg, 92.4% in Clausthal-Zellerfeld, 107.1% in Goslar, and 97.8% in Seesen. These figures reflect the statistical availability of doctors relative to local demand. The funding scheme will remain active until December 31, 2028.

Mayor Hesse and Harald Fricke welcomed the development, citing past practice closures that had left gaps in the municipality’s healthcare services. The €50,000 grant will help establish a new GP practice in Liebenburg. The funding programme continues to address shortages by supporting practitioner roles across the district. The initiative remains in place to ensure balanced medical care provision for years to come.