Caretaker GP service plans for patients at Whitchurch surgery will not go ahead

An appeal was launched in July to find clinicians to run Richmond House surgery in Whitchurch after its lease on its Station Road home runs out in October.

Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group was seeking expressions of interest from local providers that could deliver medical services under 'caretaker arrangements' for 18 months.

However these plans will now not go ahead and the group has had to halt the procurement process.

David Evans, interim accountable officer for Shropshire CCG said: "Unfortunately and disappointingly, at the final stage of the procurement process on Friday(SEP16) the CCG became aware that we had not been successful in securing a caretaker provider.

"We are now looking at all possible alternatives. This includes the possibility that patients registered with Richmond House may now need to be registered with other GP practices around the Whitchurch area, and we have now written to these practices to ask how many patients they could potentially accept.

"We realise that this will be distressing news for Richmond House patients. We ask that patients remain with Richmond House and at this present time as we plan to secure an alternative GP provision when Richmond House closes on October 31."

Last week, health bosses announced that Whitchurch Community Hospital will become the home for GP services for Richmond House patients, which has about 4,000 patients on its books.

They say providing a service at Whitchurch Community Hospital is still an option.

These premises would be available for use by a practice who wishes to provide a branch surgery and are able to deliver services for the majority of Richmond House patients.

Any patients who are concerned and wish to be kept informed of future developments should contact Shropshire CCG on SHRccg.customercare@nhs.net or by calling 0800 032 0897.