Agenda item

The Committee received a report from the Director of Transformation and Partnerships and presentation from representatives of Skerne Medical Group that advised of the outcome of consultation and engagement in respect to the development of options for future service provision across the practice locality (for copy see file of Minutes).

Dr Hearmon highlighted the following points from her presentation:-

·        Consultation process – who was consulted & gaining feedback

·        Scenarios – where patients expressed a preference

·        Feedback from each location – Sedgefield, Fishburn, Trimdon Colliery, Trimdon Village and Trimdon Grange

·        Thematic comments on the scenarios

·        Other options to explore

·        Consultation events for patients

·        Key factors considered

·        The proposal – the Partners are proposing to progress with scenario 1 – extend Harbison House, Sedgefield and retain and extend Trimdon Colliery surgery

·        Addressing feedback

·        Next steps – including presenting to the Primary Care Committee

Councillor Grant was disappointed that Trimdon Village and now Fishburn practices would be closing, and she did not believe that this was for the benefit of the patient.  She had heard that GPs did not want to travel between the sites but the realisation was that now patients would have to do the travelling, and this could mean a two hour plus journey for some on public transport.  She was aware that some other practices ran across a number of sites without any problems and at full capacity, e.g. Trimdon, Thornley and Wheatley Hill.  She had every sympathy for the practice and that the partners wanted their investment back.  Councillor Grant would have liked to have seen the possibility of another practice being allowed to fill the void but understood that due to the relationship between the CCG and the practice that this was not viable. She had heard all of the points made before and would have thought it would be more appropriate just to ask people for their comments rather than give a false premise that this was a consultation.  She suggested that land was available and that the Trimdon Colliery site could be extended and that the practice could have looked at more creative ways of looking at the whole situation.

Dr Hearmon responded that the partners were not in this for their own outcome.  She had worked in this area looking after patients for many years and wanted to ensure that they still had access to the best medical care available.  She said that the practice had to rethink how they could ensure that maintained their goals of providing the best care for patients.  She went on to say that due to the number of changes to staffing as long standing GPs had retired however pointed out that the ones who remained were fully committed and by reducing the number of sites would ensure that resources could be concentrated and enable best patient care.  With regards to staff time she said that GPs lose valuable time when travelling and the GPs recruited did not like that way of working and had since left the practice.  Three new GPs had started working with the practice recently, with another starting in January and strenuous efforts would be made to keep them.

The Practice Manager explained that a huge amount of work had been carried out nationally to recruit GPs and that practices needed to offer part-time and flexible ways of working.  He advised that most of their GPs were salaried and part-time with flexible working.

Councillor Grant re-iterated her point that other practices can keep and retain GPs but this one could not.

The Director of Primary Care, Partnerships and Engagement, DDES CCG commented that the proposals for Fishburn were at a disadvantage to the partners financially as it had negative equity.  The most effective partnership model after consulting with GPs were available on the CCGs website. To fill the void he explained that patients usually wanted to go to their own practice and the only way to create a new practice was to go out to contract.  He believed that the practice had learnt a lot from the consultation exercise and has helped to inform their position going forward.  He went on to say that they had treated patients attending the consultation events like members of their own board and listened to their views about the proposals.

Councillor Bell recognised that the practice had carried out a lot of work with this committee and patients and asked if the preferred option to extend the lease at Trimdon Colliery was a viable option.  Dr Hearmon responded that conversations had taken place with the owner who was fully supportive of extending the building and the lease.

With regards to Fishburn, the Chair asked if the practice could continue to operate over the next 18 months until closure.  Dr Hearmon said that this would depend on the clinical staff available and that any new GPs were aware of the challenges and would be part of the process. 

Councillor Smith asked if the practice were certain that the reasons for the high turnover were down to multi site working as she was aware that many practices operated in this way.  Dr Hearmon responded that GPs now have different ideals and ways of working and wanted to ensure that their own life and working life were balanced.  She assured the committee that she did talk through the reasons why a GP chose to leave.

The Chair said that it would be appropriate for this committee to make comments directly to the Primary Care Committee and that the comments from the local members should be taken on board.  He thanked the representatives from Skerne Medical Practice for attending the meeting.

Resolved:

(i)           That the report and presentation be noted;

(ii)          That comments from the committee be fed back to the practice;

(iii)         That representations to the Primary Care Committee be made.