Given the increasing demands on primary care provision in Bedworth and North Warwickshire we would ask that this Council invites the CCG and NHS England to attend the next appropriate Adult Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee to provide,
• full details of the reasons for closures of 4 GP practices in Bedworth and North Warwickshire,
• full details of what provision is being put in place to ensure that primary care services are both accessible and fully meet the needs of local residents in these areas, and
• a list of all statutory consultees and details of all consultations held including disclosure of feedback received in relation to these closures.
Proposer - Councillor Richard Chattaway
Seconder - Councillor Bill Olner
Decision:
The motion as amended was agreed unanimously
Minutes:
In proposing the motion Councillor Richard Chattaway stated, “Given the increasing demands on primary care provision in Bedworth and North Warwickshire we would ask that this Council invites the CCG and NHS England to attend the next appropriate Adult Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee to provide,
1) full details of the reasons for closures of 4 GP practices in Bedworth and North Warwickshire,
2) full details of what provision is being put in place to ensure that primary care services are both accessible and fully meet the needs of local residents in these areas, and
3) a list of all statutory consultees and details of all consultations held including disclosure of feedback received in relation to these closures”.
Councillor Chattaway added,
1) The George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton is currently experiencing major pressures. One reason for this is a shortage of GP practices.
2) Warwickshire has experienced a shortage of GP practices for some time. 3) The closure of a surgery can affect around 2000 people. These have then to be served by remaining practices.
4) Nuneaton and Bedworth are set to grow. This growth will only apply greater pressure to surgeries.
5) The re-tendering of GP services ay not provide the answer to the problem of this shortage.
Councillor Bill Olner seconded the motion and reserved the right to speak.
Councillor Margaret Bell moved a friendly amendment. This was to the first bullet point of the motion, changing it to say, “Full details of the re-contracting of the four Alternative Provider of Medical Services (APMS) primary care services in Nuneaton, Bedworth and North Warwickshire”.
The reason behind the friendly amendment was to avoid creating undue anxiety amongst local residents who might fear for the future of their services. Councillor Bell explained the background to the Alternative Provision of Medical Services (APMS). This arrangement involves the re-contracting of GP services every five years. At present 3 practices are up for contract. Councillor Bell was keen to emphasise that the Clinical Commissioning Groups have worked hard to ensure that stakeholders and communities are kept informed on progress.
There is a possibility that the Leicester Road surgery will close but Councillor Bell stated that the CCG would have an opportunity to explain this at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Councillor Les Caborn seconded the proposed friendly amendment. In doing so he agreed with Councillor Chattaway adding that “winter pressures” are now experienced throughout the whole year. He agreed to circulate to the Council a briefing note and letter that he had received on it.
Councillor Jerry Roodhouse noted that it had previously been agreed with the health providers that whenever changes to services were proposed these would be discussed with the Council. In this case such discussions had not been held. Councillor Roodhouse suggested that the concordat required refreshing and that the Council should do more to hold the health providers and commissioners to account.
Councillor Keith Kondakor agreed that getting GP practices to set up in Nuneaton is a challenge. The shortage of GPs means that people sometimes struggle to get appointments and present late.
Councillor Clive Rickhards observed that there is an increasing tendency towards closure. The GP practice in Studley had closed some while ago and there is no indication that it may re-open.
Councillor Wallace Redford stated that the issue of GP practices had been raised at a recent meeting of the Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
At a meeting to be held on 15 November the issue will be discussed again. The CCGs are expected at that meeting. Councillors Shilton and Phillips echoed other members’ concerns with Councillor Phillips adding that pressure on hospitals has an impact on elective surgery.
Councillor Bill Olner echoed welcomed Councillor Bell’s amendment. He considered that the way in which the CCGs work continues to be a mystery. Additionally the relationship between GPs and CCGs is unclear.
Vote
A vote was held. The motion as amended was agreed unanimously. Resolved That given the increasing demands on primary care provision in Bedworth and North Warwickshire the Council agrees to invite the CCG and NHS England to attend the next appropriate Adult Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee to provide,
1) Full details of the re-contracting of the four Alternative Provider of Medical Services (APMS) primary care services in Nuneaton, Bedworth and North Warwickshire,
2) Full details of what provision is being put in place to ensure that primary care services are both accessible and fully meet the needs of local residents in these areas, and
3) A list of all statutory consultees and details of all consultations held including disclosure of feedback received in relation to these closures