Shropdoc and Shropcom to bid for new GP-led out-of-hours contract

The Shropshire Doctors Co-operative (Shropdoc) has partnered with Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust (Shropcom), which provides community-based health services as well as running community hospitals.

They will jointly tender for the new Integrated Urgent Care Service (IUCS) which is being commissioned by Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups.

A decision is expected by late June, and the new service will start on October 1.

Shropdoc’s contract with the CCGs ends on September 30.

Last year, Shropdoc revealed it was facing its most serious financial situation in more than 20 years, although it was later announced that it had developed a financial recovery plan.

Shropcom is also expected to be acquired by another organisation this year, with two trusts in the frame – Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust and South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr Russell Muirhead, chairman of Shropdoc, said both organisations were passionate about high quality patient care in the community setting.

Relationship

He said: "The joint relationship will support improved urgent care service design and delivery, working collaboratively to ensure best use of resources for our patients.

“As a member of the West Midlands Integrated Urgent Care Alliance we will provide a bridge between local and regional planning for IUCS pathways, acting as an advocate for the needs of the patients in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin.

“Our locally focussed integrated urgent care service, led by local GPs and community staff, will draw on the expertise and shared resources of local emergency, general practice and hospital care providers, to ensure continued innovation.”

Jan Ditheridge, chief executive of Shropcom, added: “We see it as a great opportunity – working in a new way, preparing the ground for future developments, building on the local expertise, reputation and relationships we already have for delivering out of hours and community care.

“This joint working relationship will provide stability, preserving what is good about our out-of-hours services while providing greater opportunity for quality improvements, job and career pathway developments for our staff, and better outcomes for patients and their families.

“Both organisations already have a track record of working in partnership with the other health care and voluntary sector organisations in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, and expect this will only strengthen those ties, reducing duplication and handovers for patients.”