Issue - meetings

To update the Committee of the work that has commenced following the Committee supporting the preferred option of dispersing the practice list.

Simon Whitehouse Director of Primary Care, Central and Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust (PCT), briefed the Committee on the current position with the closure of the Hawthorn Lane Surgery, Wilmslow.

The surgery was a single handed practice (the last single handed GP practice in the PCT area) and the GP, Dr Chung, had informed the PCT that he was to retire on 30 June 2010.  The mid point meeting had considered the issue and supported the PCT in its preferred option of dispersing the patient list.  The PCT had identified that there was sufficient capacity and choice within its patch to meet the needs of patients and liaison with other GP practices showed that local GPs were keen to work with the PCT and increase their patient lists. 

The PCT had recently written to all practices most likely to be affected by the dispersion of Dr Chung’s list.  The PCT had also sent letters to all patients, and included a personal letter from Dr Chung, with letters translated into Chinese where necessary.  The PCT were able to support practices with any language issues that may arise.  Most patients would be able to have a choice of practice to transfer to.   A number of patients lived in the Stockport area and the PCT had liaised with Stockport PCT for those patients. 

Dr Chung had identified a number of vulnerable patients on his practice list and the PCT was working closely with those patients to help achieve the most appropriate outcome. 

A freephone helpline had also been established.

RESOLVED:  That RESOLVED:  That

(a) the proposal to close the Hawthorn Lane Surgery Wilmslow be confirmed as a Substantial Development or Variation in Service, Level 3;

(b) the steps taken by the PCT to manage the closure of the Surgery and recognising the short timescales involved be endorsed;

            (c) the dispersal of the patient list to other practices be supported; and

            (d) the public consultations which had taken place, particularly

             involving the patients affected by the changes, be noted.