IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING CAXTON HOUSE SURGERY

YOU WILL ONLY BE REQUIRED TO TAKE ACTION IF YOU ARE A REGISTERED PATIENT WITH CAXTON HOUSE SURGERY  

 PLEASE NOTE A COPY OF THIS LETTER HAS ALREADY BEEN SENT VIA POST TO ALL REGISTERED PATIENTS OF CAXTON HOUSE SURGERY

 PLEASE READ THIS INFORMATION CAREFULLY

Dear Patient

Notification of the retirement of Dr. Saxena and the closure of Caxton House Medical Practice from 31^st August 2020

I am writing to let you know about some upcoming changes to Caxton House Medical Practice at which you are a registered patient.  

What is happening and what does it mean for me?

Dr. Saxena has been providing services at Caxton House Medical Practice for over 20 years and has recently informed us of her decision to retire on 31^st August 2020. 

This means that she will no longer be providing GP services from the main surgery situated at Grimethorpe and the branch surgery located at The Cudworth Centre from this date.  As a result the practice will close permanently on 31^st August 2020. 

We appreciate that this news may cause you some concern and uncertainty. However, we would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that you will not be left without a local GP as a result.

NHS Barnsley Clinical Commissioning Group is the organisation with the responsibility of planning and buying Local Healthcare Services for the people of Barnsley and we are committed to providing you with information and support in finding and registering with a new GP Practice which suits the needs and requirements of you, or your family, as soon as possible. 

We have set out the next steps and support available to you below along with the answers to some of the types of questions we know that you will have. 

Can another GP just take over the practice and provide services at the same premises? If not, why not?

This option was considered when we found out Dr Saxena was retiring. However, due to the reasons set out below this option is unfortunately not possible and services can no longer operate from this site.

National experience gathered over the last few years has shown that practices with small patient lists have not attracted new GP providers, as they are often not deemed to be practical in financial terms by prospective GPs. In the case of Caxton House Medical Practice, the registered list is less than 1,000 patients (approximately 988) and therefore a list of this size is unlikely to attract new GPs.  Additionally the current premises are also owned by the retiring GP which provides an added complication to taking this option forwards. 

Coupled with the above, there are a number of other GP practices close to both the main practice site at Grimethorpe and within the same building as the branch site at Cudworth who have the availability to register new patients.   

Therefore, after careful consideration of the above factors, NHS England’s and NHS Barnsley CCG’s recommendation is to close the practice as of 31 August 2020 and disperse the practice list to neighboring practices. This recommendation was agreed by members of the CCG Primary Care Commissioning Committee in June 2020, where a decision was taken to support the recommendation to disperse the patient list. This is why you are being asked to re- register with a new practice.

Will I have to change my GP practice and how do I find an alternative?

Yes, you will have to change GP practice and will need to register with another practice within the next couple of months as Caxton House Medical Practice will close on 31^st August 2020.

All patients currently registered with the practice will receive a copy of this letter outlining the change and providing information on their nearest practices. Our primary care team has been working with local practices about accepting new patients.

All the practices listed in the hard copy of the letter sent to all patients have an open list for new patients to register. Individual practices will be able to advise you if your postcode falls within their catchment area.

There may be other practices you can register with (if you live within their catchment area) and you can find out more by visiting www.nhs.uk This website is very useful and provides information on the number of GPs at the practice, what services they offer patients and what people think of those services. Each GP practice also has their own individual website which you may find useful.

Alternatively you can contact the Primary Care Team on telephone number 01226 433774 or by email barnsleyccg.primarycare@nhs.net for further information and support in terms of registering with a new GP practice

Registering with a new practice

Once you have chosen a practice you will need to register with them.  To register with a practice you need to call or visit and ask to register with them. You will need to obtain a registration form that will need to be completed and returned. You will be asked to prove your identification and address. Your chosen practice will be able to advise you fully on the information they require.  You will need to ensure that all members of your household including children are also registered at your new practice.

Can I wait until Caxton House Medical Practice closes on the 31^st August 2020 before I register at a new Practice?

We are advising patients to register at a new practice as soon as possible following receipt of this letter.  This will help to support the smooth transfer of your records and for your new practice to book a new patient appointment for you. It will also help local practices to manage the process of accepting new patient registrations.

If I register at a new practice before Caxton House Medical Practice closes can I still use it as my surgery?

No, once you register at a new practice you become their patient and should access the primary care services you need at your new practice only.

Will I still be able to access the same services at my new practice?

All neighbouring practices offer a full range of general medical services via a range of staff – for example, GPs, nurses, healthcare assistants, and so you should see no significant change in the type of service you are currently offered. For example, vaccinations and immunisations for ‘flu will be done at your new practice. You could mention to them if you usually have these. 

Will anything else change?

Depending on which practice you decide to register with, there may be some other differences, such as appointment booking systems and opening hours. You can check this when registering with a new practice or on the NHS Choices website – www.nhs.uk  

What happens if I do not register with an alternative practice?

We are asking all patients to register with a new practice as soon as possible. This gives your new practice time to contact Caxton House Medical Practice with any queries about your care before the practice closes on 31^st August 2020. It also gives NHS England and NHS Barnsley CCG the necessary time to ensure all patients have successfully registered with a new practice before Caxton House Medical Practice actually closes.

Patients who have not yet registered with a new practice will receive a follow up letter to this one, in order to provide continued access to local GP services they have been allocated to a new practice local to them by us and they will be advised of their new practice details.

You can always change practices at a later date should you wish – as long as you fall within the practices catchment area.

What happens to my medical record?

Your medical record is electronic and will be transferred automatically to your new practice when you register. Your notes will be requested via the computer system and will arrive at your new practice within a matter of minutes.

What about home GP visits?

All patients living within the catchment area and registered with the practice are entitled to home visits where it is deemed clinically appropriate by the GP.

Who should I contact for further support and if I have any particular concerns that I would like to raise?

If you would like to speak to someone about registering with a new practice, have any particular individual concerns, or need this information in another language or format, please contact NHS Barnsley CCG Primary Care Team on 01226 433774 or email us at Barnsleyccg.primarycare@nhs.net under the subject header ‘Caxton House Registered Patient Query’ for support. 

Yours sincerely,

Julie Frampton

Head of Primary Care, NHS Barnsley CCG