25 January 2017

The following message is from our colleagues at Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group has confirmed today  it will not renew the contract of Malling Health Wrekin when it runs out in July and reinvest resources in local GP practices.

The decision will be ratified by the CCG’s Primary Care Committee on Tuesday February 7.

Malling Health Wrekin opened in 2009 and provides a GP Walk In Service (WIC). It also has a registered patient list with 8,000 patients.

Telford & Wrekin CCG and Malling Health Wrekin will work together to ensure that all registered patients can register with another GP practice in the local area before the intended closure date at the end of July. It has already been established that other practices have capacity to accept patients.

Malling Health Wrekin is based in temporary accommodation. A recent survey recommended a £500,000 refurbishment, with replacement within three years costing several million pounds.

Dr Jo Leahy, Clinical Chair of the CCG said: “We appreciate patients at Malling Health Wrekin will be concerned to hear that the practice will close. However  the building housing the practice is in extremely poor condition and is no longer fit for purpose. We cannot justify the cost of replacement when other practices have excellent premises and can take additional patients.

“We also feel that the Walk In service is not fulfilling the purpose it was intended for, which is to provide access to a GP for people who are not registered with a GP locally or who could not get an urgent same-day appointment with a local practice with which they are registered. We believe that reinvesting the resources in existing local GP services will provide better value and benefit patients.

“We now intend to work towards a smooth transition of services with other GP practices locally and are totally committed to ensuring everyone has access to a GP. This work will include developing appropriate access to GPs for all patients including those not registered with a GP locally. We have already consulted with local patients and we know that this is what most want.”

All addresses where patients are registered with Malling Health will receive a letter advising them how to register with another GP after February 7, and help to do this will be made available.

Dr David Jones, Medical Director Malling Health said: “Our priority will be to work with the CCG to ensure that all our patients can register with another GP and that the transition is as smooth as possible.”

Any patients with immediate concerns can contact the Patients Advice and Liaison Service (PALS):

Email: TWCCG.patientservices@nhs.net

Tel: 01952 580407