Public meeting called to air views on running of medical centre
COMMUNITY leaders in Brailsford have organised a public meeting to openly discuss the challenges faced by Brailsford Medical Practice, as its new management continues efforts to help it recover from a damning CQC report last year.
The village practice, which also serves Hulland Ward and other neighbouring parishes, was initially placed into special measures following an inspection in June, which found it was inadequate in two key areas of criteria – safety and well-led management, while under its previous leadership.
Following the Care Quality Commission’s report, a new management company, South Dales Health, was brought in to take over the day-to-day running of the surgery and, by the time of a follow-up inspection in November, the GP surgery was lifted from “inadequate” status to “Requires Improvement”.
South Dales Health already encompasses Hannage Brook Medical Centre in Wirksworth, along with Ashbourne’s two medical practices, and its clinical lead Dr Penny Blackwell explains that South Dales Health worked with the Clinical Commissioning Group to quickly make changes, which saved the practice from closure, or from falling into private hands.
But, she told followers of the Brailsford Medical Practice Facebook page last week, there is still a lot of work to do.
She said: “With the improvements that we were able to quickly make, CQC has lifted the practice out of Inadequate and into Requires Improvement.
“But we know there is a really long way to go and that it takes around 12 to 18 months really to stabilise and to turn around an inadequate practice.”
Dr Blackwell went on to heap praise on the practice’s staff, for their resilience and deep commitment.
“Please treat them more kindly and compassionately”, she said. “Because they’ve been through a heck of a year.
“It’s been a really difficult year full of conflict and worry for them.
“The South Dales Team are throwing all of our efforts we possibly can into keeping your practice open so that you do keep on having a service in Brailsford.
“This is often at the cost of our own services, and probably one of the most challenging things we’ve done, and will ever do, together.”
Dr Blackwell also praised the practice’s patients group and the parish council, both of which have been in touch with the News Telegraph to air their concerns over the future of the practice.
Irene Longstaff, who chairs the patients group, explained the key points that will be addressed at the public meeting next month. She said: “As a patient group we are very concerned about the future of the practice.
“The practice covers a 52 square mile area which takes in many of the surrounding villages.
“There are concerns about whether the practice will continue, continuity of care and dispensing of drugs.” Brailsford Parish Council, which is organising the meeting, will be discussing a range of local issues as it gathers villagers on Wednesday, April 6, but the medical practice is at the forefront of the agenda.
Chairman Pat Laughlin told the News Telegraph: “Our parish council has been working closely with the patients group and with the new operators South Dales Health to understand the plans for the future.
“This looks very uncertain as it has been suggested that a new surgery is required to comply with modern day requirements and that the most likely route for funding is via developer contributions which in turn will mean more housing.
“Brailsford has doubled in size over the last five years with a number of unforeseen consequences for other services and facilities in the parish.
“We have agreed to hold a public meeting on April 6 at the Village Institute to allow residents to have their say about these plans and other key issues affecting the parish.”
Mrs Laughlin stressed that the meeting was open to residents from neighbouring parishes, which are also affected by Brailsford Medical Practice’s ongoing challenges.
The meeting is due to take place from 7.30pm and will also tackle other village issues such as the review and update of the Neighbourhood Plan.
The South Dales Team are throwing all of our efforts we possibly can into keeping your practice open.
Dr Penny Blackwell