Chulmleigh Winkleigh Okehampton  North Tawton

Chulmleigh  Winkleigh  Okehampton  North Tawton

Dr Diana Wielink  Dr J E Timothy Burke  Dr Will Sherlock  Ms Karen Acott
Dr Ian Guildford Dr Griff Thomas
23 September 2014
Bridget Sampson, Director of Commissioning
NHS England
Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Area Team
Sedgemoor Centre
Priory Road
St Austell
Cornwall
PL25 5AS
Dear Bridget
Re: Notice to terminate the PMS contract of North Tawton Medical Practice
(L83633)
Address, Devonshire House, Essington, North Tawton, Devon, EX20 2EX
On behalf of the partnership of Wallingbrook Health Group, I am writing the give you 6
months’ notice that we wish to terminate our services as provider of the above PMS
contract.
The decision has not been taken lightly and ever since we took the contract over on the
1st September 2011, we have worked tirelessly to improve the quality of the services as
well as access for patients. We have consolidated back office functions and moved to a
more digital and efficient way of operational management within the practice without
compromising patient safety.
Over the last 2 years, we have increased our clinical sessions to provide better skill mix
and our experience shows that 12 GP sessions is the minimum safe limit for this
population. We also introduced better systems for managing long term conditions and
extensive enhanced services. As part of our mission to improve population health, we
have also inspired the Patient Participation Group (PPG) to set up the annual Healthy
Living Day which is a great success in the community. Much of the medical equipment is
supported by the Friends of North Tawton Surgery (FONTS) who is a separate
fundraising group and currently in its 20th year of fundraising for the practice.
Correspondence to: Wallingbrook Health Centre, Back Lane, Chulmleigh,
Devon, EX18 7DL. Tel 01769 580295/08443 87 80 78. Fax 01769 581045
VAT Registration Number 879082282
*Please note that all calls to and from the surgery are recorded and may be monitored for quality and training purposes.
“Together we build happy, healthy communities”
www.wallingbrook.co.uk
In recognition of the urgent need for premises development, we spent £15,000 on
planning and subsequent appeal to build a modern extension that would incorporate the
local pharmacy. This was the ideal opportunity to secure the future of the practice and
was in line with national policy drivers around medicines optimisation and patient safety.
Unfortunately, our appeal was rejected and the hybrid pharmacy medical model we call
Pharmedic could not be realised. During the last 2 years, we also mentored the local
pharmacist, through her independent prescribing qualification.
We set up a strong and highly engaged Patient Participation Group (PPG) and they
have supported us from day 1. The PPG together with the town council have also
identified a new site for the practice. They have also discussed the viability of the
practice with the local MP, Mel Stride who subsequently sent questions to Simon
Stevens, Chief Executive, NHS England but neither of us has received any response to
date.
We are very disappointed in the inertia we experienced with NHS England and the lack
of support we have received to date to keep the practice going. We tried to explore
various options from funding an innovative model of healthcare provision, premises
development to contract alignment. All of these appear to have been met with inaction
on your part.
The practice is unviable as it stands and the contract value requires urgent attention.
We are unwilling to put the health and lives of this community at risk by cutting services
even further just to meet your current unjustifiable funding envelope which we believe is
unsafe. It therefore leaves me with no other option but to hand the contract back to you
on the 31st March 2015.
Yours sincerely
Karen Acott
Executive Partner
MRPharmS, MCPP, MIoD
Cc
Mel Stride
Correspondence to: Wallingbrook Health Centre, Back Lane, Chulmleigh,
Devon, EX18 7DL. Tel 08443 87 80 78/01769 580295. Fax 01769 581045
VAT Registration Number 879082282
*Please note that all calls to and from the surgery are recorded and may be monitored for quality and training purposes.
“Together we build happy, healthy communities”
www.wallingbrook.co.uk