tCI commentary:
Within days of near neighbour Herts Valley CCG losing a judicial review because it failed to involve local Councillors in a closure decision, we have something similar in West Essex. If this news story is true, Robert Halfron MP has a strong case to question the closure of a GP Surgery in Harlow – seemingly without the required consultation. The only explanation might be that the local Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee has tacitly given its blessing to the CCG’s closure plan, but that the news media may have missed this.
Article:
Plans to close a GP surgery in Harlow have been branded as “terrible” by the constituency’s MP.
Robert Halfron has spoken out about news that Osler House Surgery, in Prentice Place, would be closing its doors to patients from April 30.
Locals who use the surgery were notified of its closure by a letter sent out by the West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on February 21.
Patients were advised that it was being shut down following a request by the company which runs the surgery, The Practice Group, to end the contract.
The decision was met with outrage by patients who felt they were kept in the dark about the plans.
But despite the closure date being set for the end of April, patients have been told they have until March 29 to register with a new surgery.
In a statement issued today (February 27), Mr Halfron said: “I think the closure of Osler House is a terrible and short-sighted decision. Harlow is an rapidly expanding town and it makes no sense to close a surgery which has been serving the Potter Street community for over 60 years.”
The Conservative MP noted that he received no notice of the closure and that the decision was reached “without any consultation” with patients, user groups, and the wider community.
He added: “I have been contacted by patients of the surgery, particularly the elderly, who are worried about how they are going to access GP services because of a lack of public transport to other GP locations and anxious that they might not be able to access a home visit when needed.”
Mr Halfron has since been in contact with the Chief Officer and the Chair of the West Essex CCG and now plans to challenge the decision.
Carina Trickey, 35, is one of thousands of patients to be affected by the planned closure.
“I’m not in the catchment area but it’s been my doctors since I was born,” she said.
“I got home yesterday to find this letter on my door mat.
“Everybody in that part of the town has received a letter through the door – there was no notice about it.”
Carina, who lives in The Hides, has had to regularly attended the surgery in order to collect medication she requires for a long term health condition.
She has been left concerned by the short notice required to register with a new GP and what it could mean for those who need to collect prescriptions.
“They’ve only given us four weeks’ notice before they close,” said Carina, who works as a Slimming World consultant.
“If you’re in between prescriptions you can’t apply until 10 days before it’s due.”
Carina worries that local surgeries will not be able to cope with taking on 3,000 patients in less than a month.
She also knows the closure will significantly impact her mother, who would have to take three buses to get to access another practice.
“It’s very underhanded,” Carina added.
In response to the public outcry, a spokeswoman for West Essex CCG reiterated the decision to close the surgery stemmed from the provider of medical services at Osler House serving six months’ notice on their contract.
This was due to it not being “financially viable” for them to continue to run such a “small service”.
“West Essex CCG has responsibility for commissioning services for the local population and has considered all of the options available following the receipt of the notice period, including finding a new provider or allowing the surgery to close,” the spokeswoman added.
“Negotiations took place over a period of three months with neighbouring practices to secure another practice that would be willing to take responsibility for the surgery, however this proved unsuccessful.
“Whilst neighbouring practices are happy to accept and register all new patients who fall within their catchment area, running an additional site was not feasible. ”
The CCG took the decision to not seek another provider, instead opting to support patients in registering with another practice nearby.
This was also done to ensure there was no delay to the planned regeneration of the area.
“Discussions have taken place with neighbouring surgeries Church Langley, The Ross Practice, Hamilton Practice, Sydenham House and Lister Medical Centre who have confirmed they are willing to accept new patients from Osler House Surgery,” the spokeswoman said.
“These surgeries are within very close proximity to Osler House Surgery.”
Article originally appeared on Essex Live
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