Goslar District funds new GP practice to fill Liebenburg's healthcare gap

Goslar District has approved €50,000 in funding to establish a full general practitioner’s practice in Liebenburg. The decision responds to recent practice closures that have left gaps in local medical care. Local leaders have welcomed the move as a necessary step to improve healthcare access in the area. District Administrator Dr. Alexander Saipa, along with First Deputy Frank Dresler and Liebenburg’s Mayor Alf Hesse, officially presented the funding approval to general practitioner Franz Thomas Lahmer. Lahmer already operates a branch office in Othfresen, where his employed physician, Dr. Karin Dinkel, provides on-site patient care.

The district’s funding programme has already supported 3.5 statutory health insurance practitioner positions this year, using most of the available annual budget. Since the guidelines were introduced, a total of 11.75 positions have been funded, with €587,500 allocated in total.

Care provision levels help determine where new practices are needed, ensuring neither shortages nor excess supply. In nearby areas like Bad Harzburg, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Goslar, and Seesen, these levels have ranged from 92.4% to 117.1% since 2024. The new funding will help secure a permanent general practice in Liebenburg. Mayor Alf Hesse and Othfresen’s Mayor Harald Fricke have both highlighted the importance of the development for local healthcare. The programme continues to address gaps in medical services across the district.