Update on new providers for five IMH practices
Following the announcement of IMH's withdrawal, the CCG provided the five practices with practical support to keep services running as close to normal as possible.
Some of the support included:
- Providing extra clinical resource
- Reviewing clinical correspondence (e.g. hospital referral letters)
- Re-examining patient complaints for issues that posed a risk to safety
- Bringing in an experienced call centre manager to provide support to staff in the call hub
At the same time, the CCG worked to identify new local, NHS-based providers that could work with the practices on a long-term basis going forward.
It was announced earlier this week that Westrop Medical Practice will be taking over Taw Hill Medical Practice from Tuesday 1 October 2019 and that Eldene Surgery will be run by Victoria Cross Surgery from Monday 11 November. New providers are expected to be in place for Abbey Meads Medical Group and Moredon Medical Centre and Phoenix Surgery by the end of the year.
As practices begin to separate from IMH, calls made by patients will no longer be handled by the central call centre, but instead be answered by staff at each practice. Any changes to the process will be advertised to patients by each practice.
IMH is expected to officially leave Swindon in November.
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