Primary Provider for Creswell and Langwith Patients

A new provider of healthcare services for patients of Creswell Primary Care Centre and Langwith Medical Centre has been appointed by NHS Derbyshire County from October 2012.  The appointment will result in healthcare services being secured in Creswell and Langwith. The move has been welcomed by the patient groups.

Normal opening hours will continue and Primary Provider Company Ltd (PPL) will be offering a full range of services at both sites. PPL is an umbrella organisation of 17 GP practices that provides community-based clinical services for patients from practices across Sheffield and surrounding districts. PPL operates on the same basis as any Doctor’s surgery. It provides NHS services for NHS patients with NHS money.

PPL will continue to employ the current staff at Creswell Primary Care Centre and Langwith Medical Centre. It is expected that there will be no redundancies as a result of the change of provider. 

A five year, fixed term contract for the provision of GP services at Creswell Primary Care Centre and Langwith Medical Centre comes to a natural end in October 2012. The contract held by ‘The Practice plc’ is different from the types held by other local GP practices and cannot be extended or renegotiated beyond October 2012.

Patients together with other stakeholders had their say about their future healthcare in a public consultation which ran from 1 August – 31 October 2011. Patients and other local stakeholders were asked to consider whether they would prefer for the service to go out to tender again, or for services to be absorbed by other local practices, and what the key priorities were for the service in the future. 

Following the consultation, a project group was formed whose membership included patient and community representatives. The group looked at all the options available for healthcare services in Creswell and Langwith and the essential criteria that had been identified by patients during the consultation for the future service. The PCT Board agreed the recommended option to tender for providers to bid for Creswell and/or Langwith.  The Practice plc announced in May that the company would not be tendering for the new contract. Four companies tendered for the contract.

Trish Thompson, Director of External Relations at NHS Derby City and NHS Derbyshire County, said, “We are delighted that patients in Creswell and Langwith will continue to benefit from local health services from a quality provider like PPL which has an excellent track record in delivering high quality care. We have listened to the needs of local people and recognising the strength of public opinion in favour of continuing GP services, we are delighted to secure a future for health services in the area.

“The appointment demonstrates our continuing commitment to improving primary care across the County, which we know will improve the quality of life for local people. We will be working with The Practice plc and PPL to ensure there is a smooth transition of services from October 2012.”

GP and Medical Director Dr Andy Hilton at PPL said, “The communities of Creswell and Langwith deserve high quality health care and continuity of provision. We are delighted to have been selected to provide care in Creswell and Langwith. We want to be a central part of community life, and we intend to put down roots and stay here.”

Tina Glover, patient representative for Creswell Primary Care Centre, said, “The patient group are particularly pleased that the Creswell and Langwith surgeries are being run by the same practice. We look forward to a new era of health care for local people in our area.”

Kath Sharp, patient representative for Langwith Medical Centre, said, “I am happy for the people of Langwith who can now look forward to a dedicated team of professionals guiding the practice towards a secure future. A new medical centre in the next couple of years should inspire patients to come back to Langwith surgery and make it the success we deserve.”

Date issued: 23rd July 2012

Source: NHS Derby City and NHS Derbyshire County

Last Updated on Tuesday, 24 July 2012 14:49