A Cumbrian MP has raised concerns about Cockermouth’s GP practice during a debate in the House of Commons.
Markus Campbell-Savours, MP for Penrith & Solway, has already lodged four Early Day Motions about the town’s Castlegate and Derwent surgery last month.
Based in the town’s community hospital, it was told it required improvement by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission after an inspection last February.
Serving just over 18,500 patients, inspectors said while it was a caring service, its leadership had no clear vision and it did not always make sure there were not enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff.
Care Quality Commission inspectors were back at the Isel Road surgery last month.
While the surgery said it was working with the watchdog following the report, Mr Campbell-Savours has demanded that its sole remaining partner – Dr Simon Desert – hand back the contract for GP services.
In a debate about the new GP contract in the House of Commons yesterday, Mr Campbell-Savours said: “On the issue of accountability, despite years of failure documented in multiple inspection reports by the coroner and the Care Quality Commission, the integrated care board has not yet removed the contract from Cockermouth’s Castlegate and Derwent partnership.
“What else do ministers believe I can do to ensure that a failing partnership is held to account, other than calling for the resignation of the senior partner, Dr Desert?”
Stephen Kinnock, Care Minister, told Mr Campbell-Savours that he was not aware of the details, but recommended that the Cumbrian MP write to him so he could look into it further.
Last month, the surgery posted on social media: “At the time of the inspection last year, the surgery had seven partners. A post on social media by the surgery this week said: “A number of our GPs have recently moved on to new opportunities.”
It said it was actively recruiting new permanent GPs.
The surgery added: “One has already joined us, and further interviews are taking place shortly. Our focus is firmly on developing a strong, stable team for the future.”
Locum GPs and additional clinicians are supporting the practice in the meantime, it said.
It added it was working closely with the Care Quality Commission following the report to “support ongoing improvements and continued clinical leadership development within the practice”.
A spokesman for the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board said: “We have had, and continue to have, ongoing concerns around the future of Castlegate and Derwent Surgery.
“Our focus will always be on improving patient care and ensuring safe services for our communities.
“Our immediate actions, since the issues came to light, have focused on stabilising the service, strengthening the staff team and improving patient care.
“We’re grateful to Cumbria Health for agreeing to step in to provide additional support and ensure that patients can continue to access primary care services at this time.
“However, we are absolutely clear that the underlying issues need to be resolved urgently. We are working closely with NHS England and the Care Quality Commission to support them and ensure this improvement happens.
“In the meantime, the practice is open as usual, and patients can continue to use the service in the normal way.”
Early Day Motions are used to put on record the views of individual MPs or to draw attention to specific events or campaigns. They are motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons with no specified date. Very few are actually debated, but they flag up issues that are of concern to MPs.
