Lincoln MP suggests NHS had no intention of keeping collapsed surgeries open
Lincoln MP Karl McCartney has said that saving two recently closed GPs was “never a realistic prospect” for the group which ran them, criticising bosses for failing to promise waiting times across the city would not increase as a result. Lincolnshire West CCG (LWCCG) has rejected the claims, stating it had “every intention” to keep surgeries open and that…
Former Lincoln MP Karl McCartney Photo: Steve Smailes/The Lincolnite
Lincoln MP Karl McCartney has said that saving two recently closed GPs was “never a realistic prospect” for the group which ran them, criticising bosses for failing to promise waiting times across the city would not increase as a result.
Lincolnshire West CCG (LWCCG) has rejected the claims, stating it had “every intention” to keep surgeries open and that they were no longer viable.
Some 2,600 patients who were registered at the Burton Road surgery in Lincoln and 3,100 at the Arboretum GP were forced to register at other practices in the city following the decision to close the facilities on Saturday, January 7.
Arboretum Surgery and Burton Road Surgery closed on January 7. Photo: Google
In a letter to LWCCG, Karl McCartney has called for the group to address procedures behind the form of contract on offer when the surgeries went back out to procurement, noting the funding offered of £81.68 per patient was lower than the group’s average of £97.40 for the previous year.
The Lincolnite has learned since that the funding offered by LWCCG for the new contracts was in fact £80.59 per patient.
Karl stated that he believed there was never a realistic prospect of the surgeries reopening, highlighting that previous providers were unable to run the practices due to financial reasons.
He also called for clarity on the future funding and capacity of GP services in Lincoln.
Karl McCartney said: “Given the funding they made available and the views of local GPs, I am not convinced that the Clinical Commissioning Group were ever serious about wanting to keep these two vital surgeries open.
“I am gravely concerned about the knock-on effect these closures will have, not just on those patients who have had to move but also on average GP waiting times across the city as existing surgeries have to add these patients to their current roll.
“They have said they cannot give me the reassurances I have sought ‘at the present time’ and I fear they never will. This is not acceptable especially given the growing city I represent needs more GP surgeries not fewer.
“Local patients, taxpayers and the local health sector deserve better. It is vital that the Clinical Commissioning Group are reminded they are accountable to the people of Lincoln so I am looking forward to them publicly answering the searching questions that I have posed.”
Karl has said he is due to the meet the Chief Executive of the LWCCG in the coming weeks.
A spokesperson from Lincolnshire West CCG said: “There was every intention to keep the surgeries open. At point of liquidation of Universal Health back in July, there was an option there and then to disperse lists.
“Historically, the practices had probably shown they were no longer viable but the CCG, at some financial cost, took the decision to go out to procurement. This is a long process that involved consultations, public engagement, working pro-actively in the media, supporting practices etc.
“The evaluation panel was completely independent from the CCG and, after thoroughly assessing the bids we received, deemed them not in a position to take on the practice/s they had bid for.
“This includes important factors such as financial sustainability and of course patient safety.
“It would have been irresponsible to awards contracts for the sake of it. We had to issue APMS contracts because this is in line with guidance from NHS England.
“Karl’s figures are slightly incorrect – we’re actually talking about £80.59 per patient. This, again, is in line with the ‘global sum’ – a national guidance that was set on April 1, 2016.”
When asked by The Lincolnite whether the group could clarify average waiting times in Lincoln would not suffer, they added: “The NHS in general is extremely unpredictable so it would be impossible to guarantee anything. Primary care, as well documented, has been under pressure for some time.
“We have been working closely with supporting GP practices to best ensure they are in a strong-as-possible position to take on extra patients.
“And Lincolnshire remains the first county to benefit from a new international recruitment drive – in which 20 new GPs will be arriving in the county over the coming weeks. This, we hope, will help fill the gaps and ease some pressure.”
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It has been a tragic week with three deaths on Lincolnshire’s roads after two male motorbike riders and a man on a pedal bike lost their lives.
The roads are now busier again after further lockdown restrictions were eased on April 12, but since then three men have sadly died.
A man died after falling from his pedal bike in Branston on Wednesday, April 14 and police said his death is not being treated as suspicious.
On the same day, a 34-year-old male died after a crash involving two motorcycles near Gainsborough.
The man who lost his life in the collision was riding a silver Wuyang motorcycle. The second motorcycle was a blue Suzuki being ridden by a man in his 30s, who was taken to hospital with suspected serious injuries.
A 54-year-old man from North Lincolnshire also died after his motorbike crashed with a Royal Mail post van on the A631 near Glentham at around 4pm on Thursday, April 15.
This comes after it was revealed on March 11 that for the first time in over three decades nobody had died on the county’s roads in the first months of the year, according to Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership.
Lincolnshire Police revealed earlier this week that between 2018 and 2020 twenty five motorcyclists lost their lives on Lincolnshire’s roads.
There have been 285 coronavirus cases in Greater Lincolnshire and eight COVID-related deaths so far this week – a 7% drop in cases and one less death from the previous week.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard on Friday recorded 32 new cases in Lincolnshire, eight in North Lincolnshire and three in North East Lincolnshire.
On April 16, three deaths were registered in Lincolnshire and none in Northern Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England reported two hospitals this week so far, compared to none this time last week.
On Friday, national cases increased by 2,596 to 4,383,732, while deaths rose by 34 to 127,225.
In local news, Lincolnshire health bosses expect COVID-19 cases to rise in our region as lockdown is eased, but are optimistic that if numbers are kept low enough, then people will be free to enjoy the summer.
Andy Fox, Deputy Director of Public Health at Lincolnshire County Council, said the lifting of coronavirus restrictions this week had not caused any specific concerns yet.
Since Wednesday, Greater Lincolnshire has again seen a decrease in its infection rates overall, against an increase nationally.
All districts have seen a fall in their rates, except small increases in North Lincolnshire and South Holland. Lincoln has stayed the same and has the lowest rate in the region.
Boston has the highest infection rate of COVID-19 in Greater Lincolnshire and is ranked 9th in the UK.
Here’s Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates up to April 16:
Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates from Apr 9 to Apr 16. | Data: Gov UK / Table: James Mayer for The Lincolnite
England’s R number has dropped slightly to between 0.7 and 1 according to the latest data this week. This means for every 10 people infected with COVID-19, they will pass it on to between seven and 10 others.
The new Indian variant of the COVID virus that’s been detected in the UK has all the hallmarks of a very dangerous virus.
It has two new significant mutations in the spike protein that help it infect cells and evade the immune system.
People are “likely” to need a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine within 12 months of getting the first two, Pfizer’s chief executive has said.
Dr Albert Bourla said a booster jab could be necessary “somewhere between six and 12 months” after the second one – and every year thereafter.
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Friday, April 16
Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.
58,919 cases (up 43)
41,028 in Lincolnshire (up 32)
9,275 in North Lincolnshire (up eight)
8,616 in North East Lincolnshire (up three)
2,185 deaths (up three)
1,613 from Lincolnshire (up three)
304 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
268 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)
of which 1,302 hospital deaths (no change)
810 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)
41 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
450 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)
4,383,732 UK cases, 127,225 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.
Plans to demolish part of a former play centre and Chinese takeaway to build 41 new student flats, have been submitted to the City of Lincoln Council.
Killingbeck PLG has applied for permission to demolish “most” of the existing facade of the former home of Imagination Station and Big Wok, on Beaumont Fee, and rebuild it as part of the development.
The main hall, a warehouse and a recently built “link block” to the rear of the building will also be demolished, and will be completely replaced with a new extension.
In documents to the council, the applicant describes how the 41”study bedrooms” will be en-suite and open off a central circulation area.
The build will form part of the Iconinc post-graduate residential units development next door and will sit opposite the Park Court student accommodation on Park Street.
It will include 12 apartments on the ground floor, 11 at first and second floor and seven units on the third floor.
How the build could look.
The application said: “There is a clear need for good quality, post-graduate, city centre, residential accommodation and the economic case for the redevelopment of the site is reinforced by the fact the site can be linked with the new Iconic development so amenities can be shared.
“The demolition of the existing property and the proposed redevelopment will bring positive benefits to the area economically and aesthetically.”
As part of the build, residents will gain shared access to existing facilities including the gym.
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