Agenda item

Following concerns raised to the Chairman of this Committee by local Spennymoor Councillors regarding the proposed closure of Byers Green Surgery at Spennymoor, a letter was sent to the surgery asking for the decision to be halted until consultations had been carried out and the Committee was appraised of the situation.

The Chairman welcomed the Practice Manager to the meeting.  She advised that 6-8 patients used the surgery at Byers Green, which was a small surgery rented from Livin.  There was no IT available at the surgery and they were unable to carry out full examinations or blood tests.  Promotion was carried out to encourage people to use the surgery but to no avail.  In the past year, 84 patients have been seen in the surgery, an average of 3 per week.  Byers Green was a 15 minute drive from the main surgery at Spennymoor and travelling reduced the amount of time that patients could be seen at Spennymoor.  The list size of patients at Byers Green had not gone up in the past year and patients over the age of 65 were 26% of the total number.  The surgery in Spennymoor had recruited 4 young GPs however they were struggling with demand and not travelling to Byers Green would assist this situation.  Public transport from Byers Green was once an hour with a 2 hour gap in the middle of the day.  Two appointments would be blocked each day to coincide with bus times.  Spennymoor was a dispensing practice and this would not change as medication would still be delivered.

The Director of Primary Care, Partnerships and Engagement, North Durham and Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield Clinical Commissioning Groups  informed Members that the Primary Care Committee deferred this item until they had received assurances that full conversations had happened with stakeholders and patients.  From a quality and safety point of view, he felt that it was unusual for a GP to see a patient without access to clinical records as this could limit the value of the consultation.  He added that he needed to ensure that money invested into premises across the whole of the area should be fit for purpose and would be looked at on a case by case basis.

The Chairman reported that the local members had attended meetings with the Practice Manager and the messages received today had been reinforced.

The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer said that the lines of communication between the CCGs, NHS England and the local authority, where proposals to alter GP services needed to be clearer.  There were two issues to consider – the proposed closure of Byers Green and the protocols in place for engagement with the local authority via the Adults Wellbeing and Health OSC and local Councillors. On behalf of the Committee he asked that advice and guidance was issues to individual practices about their duties and responsibilities to engage, inform and consult about any proposed changes.  He would pass back any comments from the meeting today.

The Chairman thanked the Practice Manager and the Director of Primary Care for coming to the meeting to give an explanation and understanding of the current situation.

The Director of Primary Care said that he supported the Committee on behalf of the CCGs.

Resolved:-

(i)            That the report be received and the rationale for the proposed closure of Byers Green Branch Surgery be noted;

(ii)          That NHS England and the County Durham CCGs develop a protocol which ensures that the organisation responsible for commissioning of general practice services includes the County Council’s Adults Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee are included within the engagement processes where changes to services are proposed.