Royal takes next step to strengthen GP services for patients
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has taken the next step to strengthen the GP services it provides to more than 30,000 registered patients in Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire.
After almost two years – and now with five GP surgeries in its portfolio – the Trust has decided it’s the right time to create an ‘arms-length organisation’ (ALO) to recognise that it’s transforming from a traditional style hospital model, to an organisation that provides a full range of healthcare services and specialties for people across the community. An ALO can often offer an alternative to services that run ‘in-house’ or through service contracts.
Simon Morritt, Chief Executive at the Royal, will also be on the Board that manages the ALO and comments:-
“This new organisation is a full NHS service that the Trust owns and manages and is fully accountable for. We remain committed to meeting our aim of offering high quality, patient-focussed GP services in the communities where we have our surgeries.”
Officially registered with Companies House as ‘Derbyshire Primary Care and Commercial Services’ the arms-length organisation is classed as a limited company within the NHS.
Stuart Ellis, General Manager, explains:-
“Our GP services will remain firmly within the NHS ‘family’, but the ALO will allow us to develop other partnerships and contracts like other primary care organisations.
The Royal’s first GP practice came on board in May 2015 and the second followed in July 2016. The Trust runs a full range of services from surgeries based in Chesterfield (at The Grange, Inkersall and Rectory Road); as well as in North East Derbyshire (Clay Cross and Grassmoor).
Mr Morritt continues:-
“Like many GP Practices across the country the former Holywell Medical Group and Blue Dykes Surgeries were finding it difficult to operate because fewer doctors are choosing to train in primary care medicine. By linking up with the Trust they not only safeguarded vital services for local people, but their GPs were able to focus on patient care and clinical leadership. Over the last two years we’ve demonstrated this can work effectively and efficiently.”
The Trust has successfully recruited more GPs, has extended appointments to early mornings, evenings and weekends and is looking at expanding the range of services it provides at surgeries, including ultrasound. The ALO will enable more new ways of working, creating a team of staff that as well as GP’s, includes advanced nurse practitioners, pharmacists and mental health nurses.
Mr Ellis says: –
“The ALO means business as usual for patients, who will continue to contact us as they would do normally for appointments, repeat prescriptions or other queries.
“But it gives us more flexibility to manage the service differently and improve it for everyone. It’s an exciting step and we are looking forward to continuing to take these GP practices and services forward on a positive footing.”
