The chief executive of a hospital trust which has
stepped in as ‘emergency caretaker’ of a GP
practice in Derbyshire to prevent it from closing,
says the move is an opportunity to improve
services and establish some new models of care.
The Holywell Medical Group, a large practice of
five surgeries serving 24,000 patients, was taken
over by the Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS
Foundation Trust in May this year.
It was the only solution available at the time after the
practice partners decided they would have to resign
their contract because they were unable to recruit new
GPs and other healthcare professionals. The practice
had been racking up unsustainable locum costs.
Gavin Boyle, chief executive of the Chesterfield
Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, explains: ‘As a
significant provider on the patch we felt a responsibility
to step in and secure the service for local people and to
sustain primary care services locally.’
FOUNDATION
TRUST’S PRIMARY
CARE VENTURE
SECURES SERVICES
FOR THE FUTURE
The trust has stabilised the practice by closing two
of the surgeries and securing the employment of all
the existing practice staff and partners. All the GPs
and one of the long term locums are now working
as salaried GPs in the practice, now rebranded as
Royal Primary Care, and some new GPs have also
been appointed. Mr Boyle says the attraction of the
practice being supported by a large organisation and
opportunities for GPs to do some portfolio work in the
hospital has been a draw for new recruits. Hospital staff
with the right expertise have been able to fix problems
with the appointment and the telephone systems.
The trust is now working to introduce some new
models of service. These include training nurses
to provide INR testing and other services to relieve
pressure on GPs so that they can spend more time
with complex patients; creating a new role for
pharmacists to do medicines reconciliations and
reviews in the practice and a potential new role for
a prescribing pharmacist.
Other plans include relocating some hospital
services such as a satellite ultrasound service,
minor surgical procedures, vasectomies and carpal
tunnel treatment in the surgery premises. These
services may be opened up to all patients in the
area, not just those registered with the practice.
The trust is also considering developing more integrated
services with the surgeries housing and working with
mental health a