Oakengates Medical Practice
27 Limes Walk, Oakengates, Telford, TF2 6JJ
Telephone: 01952 620077 Fax: 01952 620209
January 2017
Dear Patients
Re: Information concerning GP Practice merger discussions
You may well have seen in the local papers the news that this practice is exploring the possibility of a merger with other local practices. This letter is to confirm that we are currently working with two other practices with a view to creating a new Practice, which will be called TELDOC.
The reason for this change is that General Practice is facing an unprecedented increase in patient demand and expectation, whilst at the same time is struggling to fill vacancies with various clinical staff. The result is that general practice across the whole country is struggling to continue working as they have always done, and are looking for ways to ensure sustainability for patient care.
We believe that the creation of TELDOC will better suit the challenges facing General Practice. The three practices working together and looking to merge are:
Lawley Medical Practice
Oakengates (Limes Walk) Medical Practice
Trinity Medical Practice
The aim of the merger is to continue to provide general practice medical services to our patients, and also in time to provide additional services closer to your homes.
The three practices are currently preparing more formal and detailed business plans, GP partnership agreements and details of how this merger should occur. The practices will keep all patients informed of progress via the practice surgeries, websites and the patient groups.
We have prepared some Questions and Answers that you may have immediately, but should you have any further specific questions or concerns that you wish to raise, then please direct these to the practice.
Our plan will be to issue further periodic updates that will include questions and answers to any concerns that have arisen/have been raised, and some initial questions and answers are attached.
Yours sincerely
Wayne Cooper
Practice Director
Teldoc Practice merger - Initial Questions and Answers
1. Will I still be able to see my usual GP?
Routine appointments will still be bookable in advance with your usual GP
2. Where will I see my GP/Advanced Nurse Practitioner/Practice Nurse/Health Care Assistant ?
Routine appointments will be available at your usual site and at other sites. The practices are currently discussing urgent and on the day requests in the merged practice, and if able to travel, patients may be asked to attend a different site that will have more staff and all equipment able to deal with the more immediate requests.
3. Will the staff in my surgery remain the same (clinical and admin)
It is expected in the immediate future that the majority of staff will remain working at their existing sites. In time the clinical and back office admin staff may start to work in more than one site as the processes and appointment systems are streamlined.
4. Will my prescriptions still go to my nominated pharmacy if I go to another site. Can I take it to the pharmacy at a different site?
Prescriptions can either be printed and given to a patient during a clinical consultation so that they can take it to a pharmacy locally to where they are, or it can be sent to a ‘nominated’ pharmacy electronically if this has been set up by the patient. Either of these options are available at each appointment.
5. What hours will the new practice be open
The new practice will be open for the core contract hours locally of 8.00 – 6.00. In addition the new practice is intending to open for extended hours (evenings etc) and there will be a wider choice of when and where these are.
6. What is the timeline for the merger
The practice is currently putting detailed plans together for the merger. The aim is to merge 1st April 2017. Prior to a merger the following will need to be in place and the timeline may therefore change if needed:
Ongoing communication to patients
Ongoing review with the patient groups
Consultations with staff
Information technology work needed to merge
Legal considerations
Financial reviews
Property reviews
Determination of new practice working structure
Determination of new practice processes
7. What are the possible advantages of the merger for patients
The formation of a larger practice has several potential patient advantages:
- your local practice remains open locally to continue to deliver care to you and your family
- it will give you more choice in where you can access the care you require
- more choice in when out of hours care is delivered
- it will be becoming a bigger practice enable the provision of additional services in time within the larger practice (such as a hospital consultant coming to the practice to conduct clinics, saving patients a visit to the hospital)