Future of Medway GP surgeries in Chatham, Gillingham, Twydall and St Mary's Island previously operated by DMC Healthcare to be discussed with patients
17:22, 04 November 2020
updated: 13:05, 05 November 2020
Plans for the futures of five GP surgeries where a failing provider was criticised by health inspectors will be unveiled next year.
The practices in Medway previously run by DMC Healthcare, which have 27,000 patients, have been under temporary control by a federation of doctors.
Healthcare bosses are now asking for patients' views about how they use the services at five sites in Chatham, Gillingham, Twydall and St Mary's Island.
A survey has been launched and two virtual public meetings will be held next month with information shared by the public being used to draw up the plans which are expected to be announced in the New Year.
It is understood the Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) – which oversees healthcare provision and is running the consultation but has come under fire for its handling of the DMC contract – is yet to have any preferences or taken any decisions at this stage.
DMC quit operating St Mary’s Island Surgery, the Pentagon Centre, Chatham, Green Suite at Balmoral Gardens Healthy Living Centre in Gillingham, the Sunlight Centre Surgery, Gillingham and Twydall Clinic following the damning inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) raised fears about patient safety in July .
The watchdog placed the private company – contracted to run the £4.1 million-a-year service at the five surgeries – under enforcement measures prompting DMC to decide it could no longer run them .
Since DMC walked away from its contract, which was finalised in August with no compensation deal for the London-based firm , the management has been taken over by Medway Practices Alliance (MPA).
The federation of GPs from across the Towns is overseeing the surgeries until September 2021 after signing a 12-month contract with the CCG.
Bill Millar, the CCG's director of primary care, said: “Obviously our priority was patient safety and continuity of primary care services so we awarded a 12 month contract to MPA.
"This has allowed us the time to plan and talk to local people to find out what they really want from their local surgery. It is important that we now focus on the future and ensure we have viable options for the surgeries after the current contract comes to an end.
"We would like to apologise to patients for what has been an unsettling period, particularly during the pandemic, but also reassure them that they do not need to do anything.
"Due to Covid-19, many consultations are taking place by phone or video call and patients can still contact their surgery in the usual way."
"It is important that we now focus on the future and ensure we have viable options for the surgeries"
Mr Millar said face-to-face appointments are being carried out at St Mary's Island, Green Suite at Balmoral Gardens and the Sunlight Centre Surgery with hopes to reopen Twydall and the Pentagon surgeries by the end of November.
The CCG is writing to every patient registered at the five GP sites, asking them or their carer to complete a survey so they can find out more about how patients currently use the sites and what is important to them.
Small focus groups via video calls will also be asked for their views via the GP patient participation groups.
The two public meetings – which will be held online due to the second lockdown restrictions – will be held on December 1 between 3pm and 5pm and on December 2 from 6pm to 8pm.
Mr Millar added: “This is just the first stage of our engagement activity. We will write to patients again in early 2021 to present some options for the five sites that they will be able to comment on further.
"There will also be further public events, although we will not know exactly what form these will take until nearer the time when we can assess the current social distancing rules.”
The deadline to complete the survey is Thursday, December 10.
Anyone unable to complete it online can call 07767 004213 to request a hard copy or to conduct the survey over the phone.
For further information on the five GP sites, including links to the patient survey and public events, visit www.kentandmedwayccg.nhs.uk/5GPsites.
