NHS plans to drop a Brighton-based healthcare team running a doctor’s surgery and replace it with a private provider have resulted in outrage in the community and from councillors.
The Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) – also known as NHS Sussex – plans to replace the Wellsbourne Healthcare Community Interest Company (CIC) with Leeds-based One Medical Group.
The CIC has appealed against the decision and a social media campaign has started, encouraging people to make their views known to health commissioners.
Whitehawk resident and tenant representative Anne Glow was shocked by the news and wrote to NHS Sussex, saying: “The residents of this area are so upset to hear this review and wish to overturn the provisional decision to award the contract to a distant private provider.
“Such a move would be highly likely to lead to the sort of diminished quality of provision and health outcomes, let alone zero community links and engagement, that characterised some of the dreadful GP surgery services offered in East Brighton in the past.
“This community needs hands-on relationship-based care delivered by people who know the area and are trusted by us that live here.
“So many serious mental problems, trauma, addiction and social needs in the area and we know we can trust the Wellsbourne clinic to help us big time.”
Labour councillors Gill Williams and David McGregor, who represent Whitehawk and Marina ward, have asked Brighton and Hove City Council to hold an emergency Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) meeting to hold the decision-makers accountable.
Councillor Williams said yesterday (Tuesday 6 May): “I met with the doctors and directors of Wellsbourne this morning.
“It is devastating news that this incredibly important contract is in danger of going to an out-of-area for-profit organisation who has never actually been to the centre.”
She has joined a newly formed action group which is in the process of organising a public meeting.
Councillor McGregor said: “I’m deeply concerned to hear about the changes to our GP services in Whitehawk.
“The Wellsbourne Healthcare CIC has been an exemplary service for our community and I’m in complete support of the continued appeal so they can continue.
“I’m calling for this to be taken up by HOSC and properly scrutinised and have joined in writing to our local MP to lead this process with the trust.”
The Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, Chris Ward, has written to NHS Sussex calling for a rethink and shared his support with Wellsbourne CIC.
Mr Ward said: “I’ve heard directly from patients about the life-changing impact Wellsbourne Healthcare has had.
“The trust built between the team and local residents is invaluable and not easily replaced.
“It’s deeply worrying that this could be lost to a provider with no connection to the community and whose motivation includes profit, not just patient care.”
Labour councillor Jacob Allen, the council’s cabinet member for adult social care, public health and service transformation, noted that the integrated care board had had to cut its budget this year.
In April, NHS Sussex chair Stephen Lightfoot told members of the council’s Health and Wellbeing Board that his budget had halved after the government abolished NHS England.
Councillor Allen said: “As a Labour councillor, I believe there must be a laser focus on tackling health inequalities in our city, especially in areas like Whitehawk where residents already face significant challenges.
“That focus must be front and centre when public contracts are awarded.
“I am therefore extremely concerned about the decision to remove GP services from Wellsbourne Healthcare CIC, a trusted not-for-profit local provider rated good by the Care Quality Commission, with strong ties to community organisations.
“It is an example of how primary healthcare should operate. I will be scrutinising the commissioning process to understand how this decision was reached and whether it adequately considered the needs of this community.”
Labour councillor Faiza Baghoth, who chairs the Health and Wellbeing Board, has asked for details of how the decision was made and what public consultation took place because the move came as a surprise to her.
She has also asked council officers what can be done to review the decision.
Green councillor Raphael Hill, who represents his party on the council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) has urged people to contact NHS Sussex with their concerns about the decision.
Councillor Hill said: “I don’t like having for-profit providers taking over the community healthcare provision in the city.
“That the company lacks a local connection, being based in Leeds also makes me doubtful that this is anything more than a money-making exercise for them. It’s vital that council members challenge them at a special HOSC meeting.”
Wellsbourne Healthcare was formed after the Practice Group – now part of Operose Health – stopped operating from Whitehawk in 2016 because it wasn’t making enough money from its contract.
It took on the GP (general practice) surgery in Whitehawk Road, Whitehawk, and is rated good by the official watchdog, the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Concerned residents and patients are urged to contact NHS Sussex by emailing the chair of the board at sxicb.contactus@nhs.net.
One Medical Group, the company chosen by NHS Sussex, was told that one of its GP surgeries and walk-in centres “required improvement” after an inspection by the CQC.
The regulator inspected the Shakespeare Medical Practice, in Leeds, two years ago after whistleblowers raised concerns. The CQC criticised shortcomings in leadership and effectiveness.
The company, owned by Michael Beverley, a 77-year-old former director of Leeds United Football Club, made a pre-tax profit of £1.2 million on turnover of almost £29 million, according to its most recent accounts.
It has also dropped a difficult contract in the past, walking away from the Circuit Lane Surgery, in Reading, in 2018 amid a series of critical CQC reports.
NHS Sussex said: “Our key priority is to ensure that people across Sussex can receive the NHS help and support that they need.
“We are currently procuring a new contract for primary care services for people living in the Whitehawk area of Brighton, a GP practice population of 8,366.
“This procurement has had to take place because the current contract to run these services has come to an end and for GP services to continue in this area we have had to to start a new contract and follow due process to put that in place.
“We have also taken the opportunity to ensure that the new contract is designed to meet the current and future needs of the local population, which is one of the most deprived areas in Sussex, and is focused on improving the health of the population through increased community involvement, prevention initiatives and increased support for registered patients.
“National regulations mean we have had to follow an open procurement process, with the ability for all parties with interest in providing services to this community to submit an application.
“Each bid is fully considered and evaluated, based on the information that is shared during the procurement process.
“This process is still under way and, as a result, we are unable to comment further until the procurement has officially been completed.
“However, we have seen and are aware of the concern being raised to us and we will respond further as soon as we are able.”
I read OMGs annual report on Companies House. They admit they are purely driven by gaining profits and their good ratings are simply inherited as legacy ratings.
The backlash from this, which really people only became aware of over the bank holiday has been swift, decisive, and certain. I’ve seen Lib Dems in agreement with Labour members over this. Really shows the strength of feeling.
So those that are Registered with a GP at Wellsbourne-what are they going to do about getting a Dr, are they to stay at the Surgery no one wants or try to go on the list at the Surgery next door in same building.
Hopefully it will he saved.
I have been registered with many GPs in the city and wellsbourne is hands down the best care I have received. All my friends are complaining about the care they receive at other GPs in the city, but Wellsbourne has been able to continue to provide a high quality service despite budgetary and other pressures. How can the health board even consider handing over the contract from a non profit group of healthcare professionals who are motivated by improving the care of an area on the city with poor health outcomes and replace them with a for profit provider who are motivated to provide the minimal level of care they can get away with to extract as much profit as they can. Especially as they have such a poor record of providing care elsewhere. This decision is short termism at the worst. I imagine OMG have promised to deliver it cheaper, but this will not deliver savings in the long term as people unable to access high quality healthcare will end up having to use emergency and hospital care more.
I concur, and absolute outrage. I can see the lawyers booking better holidays as they lodge judicial review proceedings. The people responsible for this decision obviously have never lived in the area! What does the Health Secretary have to say on the issue Chris?
Most vets are now owned by large American conglomerates and it’s all about driving up unnecessary tests, procedures and medications to drive up profits, not about animal health or whether the owners can afford.
Will NHS doctors go the same way?
Richard Branson was one of the culprits driving this, though he has now sold VirginCare to Twenty20 Capital in December 2021 to become known as HCRG Group.
https://www.nhsforsale.info/private-providers/virgin-care-ltd-new/
This decision to privatise this GP. practice at Wellesbourne and its community care is such a short sighted and ill thought out one by the NHS. Service.
Wellesbourne does not only treat the patients, but offers so many more wrap around services which keep patients healthier, through its social prescribing pioneering services, and has a network which can pass on recovering patients on to various activities such as pointers to social networks and yoga and stress relief activities locally, and other activities which care for the whole person. It could be an isolated person who has moved into the area without a social network, needing just that little bit of extra support when recovering from a medical issue, or those not able to go far due to health or age related mobility issues, who can then access community services more locally.
Being so closely connected to the community activities and children’s services within Wellesbourne, the GP. practice forms an integral part of this community.
You cannot justify that a private profit driven remote service from Leeds, with bad reviews, will do a better job and keep patients in such high regard nor be interested in going that extra mile for its patients, whom will just become punters for them!
The wrap around care provided by this unique GP. Practice, not only improves and enhances the lives of its patients, but the extra services it can pass patients on to, if suffering from isolation, ill health, mental health and loneliness as examples, keeps many of these patients out of hospital and needing other health services.
Health prevention is such an important and unevaluated service, which the NHS. locally will find to their detriment as more of these patients require other health services as a result!
I urge the NHS. department organising these changes to reconsider or suffer the consequences of increased workload at the RSCH. as a result of dismissing such wrap around social prescribing services which these brlliant GP.s provide at Wellesbourne!
Wes Streeting loves a bit of outsourcing though doesn’t he.
If Labour councillors and politicians are genuinely worried about this type of contract going out to large companies from outside the area, why aren’t they lobbying NHS Ministers to ensure that social value rather than cost is given more weight in contract decisions? Just looks like they are jumping on this issue as it’s a decision made by the NHS rather than the council. What purpose will holding a special scrutiny meeting have unless Labour councillors are prepared to challenge their own government about ongoing issues caused by NHS funding issues, and also procurement laws.
Hope the surgery are thrown a lifeline, but there seems to be a lot of talk coming from politicians who seem to be skirting around what some of the underlying issues are, which are in their control given it’s a Labour government.