Meeting documents
Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee (DCC)
Friday 23 July 2004
Meeting: Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee (County Hall, Durham - Committee Room 2 - 23/07/2004 11:00:00 AM)
Item: A2 Stanley Health Centre Proposals
| Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee |  |
| Report of Head of Overview and Scrutiny |
Purpose of Report
1. To seek the views of the Sub-Committee about proposals in respect of Stanley Health Centre which have been developed by Derwentside Primary Care Trust.
Background
2. The PCT is proposing a new model of care in connection with the development of the new Stanley Health Centre, which will involve reconfiguration of GP services over a period of time. A copy of a report from the PCT outlining the main issues is attached.
Recommendation
3. You are recommended to consider and comment upon the proposals set out in the attached report.
| Contact: Ian Mackenzie Tel: 0191 383 3506 |
Proposal for Future Reconfiguration of GP Practices in Stanley
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain the future direction of travel for provision of GP services from Stanley Health Centre leading to a future model of primary health care in the Stanley area based around the new Stanley Health Centre, with the aim of improving access, choice and quality of primary care services to the people of Stanley.
Background
1. The PCT is presently working with Professionals and the public on the development of the new Stanley Health Centre.
2. There are currently 6 GP Practices working from shared areas within Stanley Health Centre. These consist of:
Dr Dhuny 2. There are currently 6 GP Practices working from shared areas within Stanley Health Centre. These consist of:
- Green Suite: Drs Rhaman and Hijab
- Blue Suite: Drs Gallway/Macdonald
- Red Suite: Drs Partha /Malika
3. All Surgeries, with the exception of Drs Rahman / Hijab, are presently run as branch surgeries with their main surgeries in surrounding areas.
(Dr Dhuny - Craghead; Drs Gallway/Macdonald - Burnopefield; Dr Le Dune - Annfield Plainn; Drs Partha/Malika - Annfield Plainn; Dr Gopi - Dipton )4. Each Practice has identified problems of:
6. The introduction of PMS contracts across all practices in Derwentside allows greater flexibility for the PCT to facilitate and co-ordinate cross practice working and co-ordinate a better strategic framework for future service delivery in Stanley.
Proposal- Grossly inadequate space availability for the delivery of primary care services, aggravated by limited sharing of Clinical facilities.
- Inevitable split site working in all practices working into Stanley Health Centre results in fragmentation of care for patients and a poor utilisation of doctors and nursing time
- A poor history of recruitment and retention which is likely to get worse in the context of up and coming retirements
6. The introduction of PMS contracts across all practices in Derwentside allows greater flexibility for the PCT to facilitate and co-ordinate cross practice working and co-ordinate a better strategic framework for future service delivery in Stanley.
In the planning of the new Stanley Health Centre, the PCT proposes a new model of care to increase access to the range and level of local health services for the population of Stanley and the surrounding areas. To achieve this model the PCT suggests a phased approach to reconfiguring GP services over the next 3 years for when the new Stanley Health Centre is operational. This new model of GP services would:
1. Reduce split site working of existing GPs and nurses;
2. Increase recruitment and retention of GPs and nurses into Stanley Health Centre and the surrounding areas
3. Increase the levels of skill mix across Practices
3. Enable better use of space in the present accommodation
4. Encourage better cross practice working.
Benefits to patients
1. Improved access to primary care services;
2. Increase the range of choice to primary care services;
3. Enable better continuity with doctors and nurses available whether they are based either solely in Stanley Health Centre or their surrounding practices.
Proposed Action
1. The PCT will work with Practices and Patient representatives over the next 6 months to identify a clear strategy for each Practice.
2. By September 2004, the PCT will recruit a team of additional salaried GPs and Advanced Practitioners, which will help to increase the Professional workforce capacity within Stanley Health Centre and to facilitate any future changes.
Immediate changes:
3. By October 2004, Dr Dhuny to withdraw his services from Stanley Health Centre (3 sessions) to concentrate his services at Craghead. This would involve a gradual withdrawal of 1 session per month.
4. Drs Rahman and Hijab to utilize the room space made available by Dr Dhuny’s move to create a further 17 sessions of new capacity. This will be provided by an extra full time GP (already recruited) and a developing Nurse Practitioner service for Dr Rahman/Hijab’s patients.
This move also allows for maximum use of the shared waiting and reception areas, creating much less cramped environment for patients and staff.
Future changes:
5. The PCT, working with other Practices and their patients, will identify where other reconfigurations can take place to allow for increase capacity and cross Practice working.
This will be facilitated by the placing of PCT employed Professionals within Stanley Health Centre. This will enable, where appropriate, those Practices who wish to do so, to concentrate and develop their services at their Main surgeries.
This will be a gradual and phased approach, allowing the PCT to maintain and develop the service at Stanley Health Centre.
Ultimately, the PCT will seek to co-ordinate the running of the bulk of Primary Care Services in Stanley Health Centre, not only ensuring continuity, but driving expansion and quality of the service in readiness for a new Stanley Health Centre building.
This will enable better recruitment opportunities within Stanley and simultaneously, allow surrounding Practices to develop their own services
Patient and Public Involvement
It is noted that any reconfiguration of services will require further consultation. This paper forms the start of that consultation process in discussion with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. It is noted that we are at the very start of these discussions with all parties involved. It is proposed that patients will be offered a choice at the time of any reconfiguration as to whether they wish to stay with their own practice or move to any of the newly configured practices.
It is noted that:
1. Under the new Contract for GPs, all practice lists are now open in the Stanley area, allowing freedom of choice of Practice for patients
2. The initial move for Dr Dhuny to concentrate services at Craghead had previously been discussed at public meetings in 2002 as part of the plans to merge his Practice with Dr Nath, which took place in 2003 on Dr Nath’s retirement.
Recommendations2. The initial move for Dr Dhuny to concentrate services at Craghead had previously been discussed at public meetings in 2002 as part of the plans to merge his Practice with Dr Nath, which took place in 2003 on Dr Nath’s retirement.
The Overview and Scrutiny panel are asked to consider the potential reconfiguration of GP services in the Stanley area in light of the current difficulties and future context of the new Stanley Health Centre. In this context we propose:
1. A phased approach starting with the immediate withdrawal of 3 sessions of surgery time for Dr Dhuny, services to concentrate in Craghead to create space for a further 17 sessions for Drs Rahman and Hijab practice.
2. Immediate recruitment of a pool of GPs and Advanced Practitioners to support Practices in Stanley Health centre and facilitate any further changes.
3. To note the start of the planning process and future direction of travel for future GP service reconfiguration in Stanley Health Centre.
4. The PCT will bring more detailed Strategic Plans for each Surgery as they emerge.
2. Immediate recruitment of a pool of GPs and Advanced Practitioners to support Practices in Stanley Health centre and facilitate any further changes.
3. To note the start of the planning process and future direction of travel for future GP service reconfiguration in Stanley Health Centre.
4. The PCT will bring more detailed Strategic Plans for each Surgery as they emerge.
Dr Jon Levick
Professional Executive Chairman
Derwentside PCT
24th June 2004
Attachments
FutureReconfigurationofGPPracticesinStanley.doc;
Stanley health centre - health scrutiny 23 July 2004.doc