A decision has been made that Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice at Goodly Dale will go out to procurement with the aim to find a new GP provider from 1 April 2021.
The future of the GP practice was discussed at the Primary Care Commissioning Committee on Thursday 1 October and the decision for it to go out to procurement was favoured over the option of list dispersal.
This decision was made following notification that the service provider, OneMedical Group, will end their provision at Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice on 31 March 2021.
This means that the CCG will advertise the Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice at Goodly Dale to other local and national providers and will work with local stakeholders including patients to identify a suitable new provider for the service. The aim, based upon patient feedback, is for a new provider to take over provision of services from the current site, or in the unlikely event that this is not possible, from a local site in close proximity to Goodly Dale.
Jerry Hawker, Chief Officer at Morecambe Bay Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “After engaging with patients of the practice it became clear that the majority of people wanted to continue to access GP services at Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice.
“We received more than 1,500 completed surveys which was a significant response from patients, with 95% of respondents stating that they would prefer for a practice to be retained in the local area”.
OneMedical Group has operated out of the Windermere and Bowness practice for the past five years and will continue to deliver services as normal until its contract comes to an end on 31 March 2021.
A letter will be sent out to each registered patient household outlining the decision made at the Primary Care Commissioning Committee and providing information upon the next steps in the process. Patients can remain registered at Windermere and Bowness practice and continue to receive care in the usual way until the service provider changes in April 2021.
Tim Farron MP said: “I’m really glad that local health bosses have voted unanimously to find a new provider to take over the running of the Goodly Dale surgery, rather than close the surgery.
“I’m really grateful to all the local residents in Windermere and Bowness who have taken part in the consultation and have signed our petition, sending an overwhelming message that services should remain at Goodly Dale.
“However, we have only cleared the first hurdle – we now need a new, local and reliable provider to take over the services.
“I will continue to work closely with the CCG and local patient groups to get the best possible outcome and I will also be lobbying the Government to reverse cuts to rural GP surgery funding which have led to many of the problems at Goodly Dale.”
