Report of Partners of Glenpark Medical Practice.

Dr Jonathan Harness, partner at Glenpark Medical Practice provided the OSC with the rationale to amalgamate their two practices in to one purpose built medical centre and the engagement carried out so far with patients and stakeholders.

Over the last 14 years, the practice, with the support of Gateshead Council and Newcastle CCG has sought to build premises fit for 21^st Century medicine within Dunston. This is now coming to fruition with the new Health Centre currently being built as part of the Gateshead Council’s Ravensworth Road redevelopment.

The existing two surgeries are currently 0.7 miles apart. As a result of the fact that they are both in the same ‘village’, so close together and used entirely interchangeably by staff and patient’ alike (i.e. all patients are registered with the practice, NOT at the branch surgery), there is confusion every day with patients turning up at the wrong site.

The new premises are about 200m further along Ravensworth Road, close to the corner with Ellison Road, as part of the new development with Aldi, Clavering Court (older person’s living accommodation) and Boots Pharmacy. It is therefore closer to the bus routes that use Ellison Road as well as maintaining access to bus routes along Ravensworth Road, and closer to Dunston Health Centre (i.e. there is now only about ½ mile between the two premises; around 2 min drive or 12 min walk). The building is due to be completed in mid-December.

The building has a floor area greater than the two current premises combined and was designed with the ability to allow for future expansion.

Dr Harness outlined the two primary goals for the amalgamation as follows:-

1) Improved financial stability for the practice. The practice has seen a significant drop in its income in the last couple of years as a result of a lower investment in primary care, increasing running costs and the withdrawal of the PMS contract (which alone resulted in a loss of £175k pa from the budget). NHS Property Services own Dunston Health Centre and have been increasing their costs way above primary care budget increases and the practice has no control over the costs they are charging; indeed despite best endeavours the practice has not been able to engage in meaningful discussions with them. In short, without significant financial savings the long-term tenability of the practice is in doubt with resultant unthinkable consequences to the patients and surrounding practices. The only two realistic costs that can make worthwhile savings are staff and premises; reducing staff will have an impact on patient access which the practice clearly wish to avoid.

2) Improve operational efficiency. The practice cannot maintain the same level of service at both sites. Whilst core services are offered, specialist equipment is too expensive to maintain at both sites. As previously mentioned, appointments and/or time is lost every day as a result of patients turning up at the wrong site and either having to rebook or travel to the other site. A  ...  view the full minutes text for item CHW112

Joint Report of Chief Executive, Strategic Director Legal and Corporate Services and Strategic Director, Community Based Services

The OSC received a further report providing further information regarding the proposals regarding the Substantial Variation and Development to Dunston Hill following on from the site visit on 5 October 2018.

The Chair updated the OSC on his views following on from the site visit to Dunston Hill and made specific reference to the actual condition of the site.

Evelynn Jackson, a service user at the Pallative Day Care Hospital Bede, attended the OSC and spoke against the proposals.

Nichola Kenny, Associate Director, Medical Business Unit Queen Elizabeth Hospital provided the OSC with further information outlining feedback on engagement with service users regarding the proposals at the meeting and what has been done to mitigate potential negative impacts on service users/carers where concerns have been raised.

The Committee were advised that in relation to the DOH scheme that was referred to at the OSC site visit, whilst Homes England is not pursuing with the site, the Trust has been referred into another DOH scheme run by the Direct Delivery Unit. Homes England would still co-ordinate the sale free of charge and utilise nationally appointed agents and solicitors. The biggest difference with this initiative is that the Trust would only get to receive the sale proceeds on actual sale.

The Committee were advised that the Trust is also looking at a service to be run from out of the inpatient ward for those patients who would actually meet the criteria for specialist pallative day care.

The Committee were reminded that when considering whether the OSC were satisfied that the proposals are in the interests of the local health service – this only covers the second element of the proposal i.e. The Younger Persons Dementia Service which it is proposed is relocated to Bensham Hospital site.

The proposals relating to St Bede’s Day Care Services do not represent a substantial variation and development as the element of the proposals relates to a social care model which the Trust is not statutorily obliged to provide.

However, the OSC sought assurance that the Trust will continue to work with service users and Adult Social Care and other relevant organisations to ensure that service users’ needs are met and they have ongoing support to make an effective transition to other services.

The OSC also invited the Trust to come back to the OSC in approximately 6 months time to update the OSC on progress in relation to the implementation of the proposals.