‘Sadness’ as GP surgery to shut
HUGE PRESSURES ON PRACTICES BECAUSE OF COVID BACKLOG, DOCTOR WARNS
A DOCTOR’S surgery that serves 4,000 patients in Bestwood Park is set to close permanently at the end of next month.
Patients at Queen’s Bower surgery have been told they will be moving to a new GP practice from October this year.
In December 2020, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected the surgery, which then decided to stop providing care. It was subsequently rated as “inadequate”.
Patients were temporarily cared for by nearby Rise Park Surgery – but the CCG said this will end next month.
Dr Irfan Malik, senior partner at Elmswood Surgery in Sherwood, said: “It is sad that another surgery, serving around 4,000 patients, has closed down.
“This is a trend we’ve seen locally in the last five years. It’s the smaller practices that are more under pressure.
“This will add more pressure on to other local practices which are fully stretched.
“There are huge pressures on practices because of the backlog after Covid, and we’ve got a bottleneck at hospitals at the same time.
“The GPS would’ve had a longterm relationship with the patients over many years. For some patients, it will be difficult starting from scratch again. I am sure they will get settled in and the medical care will be similar.”
Queen’s Bower Surgery was rated inadequate by the CQC in February 2021.It was found that “staff did not always treat patients with kindness, respect and compassion”.
A spokesperson for NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire CCG said: “Last year the former GP at Queens Bower Surgery made the decision to stop providing primary medical services from the practice.
“Rise Park Surgery took over GP services on a temporary basis until a permanent solution could be found.
“On 30 September 2021, Queens Bower Surgery will be closing. All patients will be transferred to a new GP practice closer to where they live.
“Patients registered at the practice have been made aware of the change and will automatically be transferred to an alternative GP practice.
“Patients will receive another letter in September outlining which GP practice they have been transferred to.”
The CCG said it ran a consultation for patients of Queen’s Bower Surgery to help consider options for a permanent solution before a decision was reached.