Views sought over future of Fountains Hall surgery in Bradford (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Views sought over future of Fountains Hall surgery in Bradford

9:50pm Sunday 22nd July 2012 in News By Claire Lomax

A city centre doctor’s surgery used by 1,500 patients could be closed.

Now patients are being asked to have their say about the future of Fountains Hall Medical Practice.

NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds needs to makes changes at the Medical Practice because it will no longer be able to be run by the primary care trust (PCT) in the future.

Unlike other surgeries in Bradford and Airedale which are mostly owned and run by groups of doctors, the PCT has run Fountains Hall for the past few years, employing the staff who work there.

But PCTs will not exist after April 2013, as a result of the reforms, so different options to make sure patients continue to receive good quality care need to be considered.

The proposals are only about the GP practice. The substance misuse service, also at Fountains Hall, is not part of this consultation.

Views are being sought on two options which are:

* To find someone new to run the surgery. Only about 1,500 patients use the surgery so it does not earn enough money to make it a good business.

* Close the surgery. The PCT would help patients find a new doctor. There are 19 other surgeries within a mile of Fountains Hall.

Because of the uncertain future of the surgery, many of the people who used to work there have moved to new jobs.

Most of the staff are temporary, but if Fountains Hall were to close the PCT would support the permanent staff to find new jobs in other local surgeries.

Patients have been sent an information leaflet about the changes, which includes a list of GP surgeries which are close to Fountains Hall.

Mike Edmondson, head of primary care at NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds, said: “We want to hear as many people’s views as possible to make sure the right decision is made about Fountains Hall.”

Have your say in writing, or by using the tear-off slip with the consultation document; by e-mailing comments to consultation@bradford.nhs.uk; visit bradford.nhs.uk/ get-involved/current-consultations and filling in the reply form; call the patient advice and liaison service (PALS) on (01274) 23755 or attend drop-in sessions at Fountains Hall surgery to talk to staff from NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds on the following dates: Friday, August 3, from 10am to noon; Thursday, August 9, from 2.30pm to 4.30pm; Monday, August 13, 10am to noon; and Tuesday, August 21, from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. The deadline is Wednesday, September 19.