Update on plans for patient moves to new GP practices

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We are working extremely closely with NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (HIOW ICB) and other local GP practices to allocate patients to a new practice in the best way possible.

We want to express our thanks to Portsdown Group Practice and The Drayton Surgery which are likely to accept the majority of North Harbour patients, and to Derby Road Group Practice and other practices in the Portsmouth area which will accept smaller number of patients.

Mark Compton, Director of Primary Care and Transformation at HIOW ICB, said: “We recognise that the closure of a GP practice can be a worrying and disruptive experience for patients. We are working very closely with North Harbour to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible and to support patients during this difficult time.

“Portsdown and Drayton practices are working hard to recruit additional staff and implement the necessary infrastructure to support these patient moves. Our top priorities at this difficult time are to ensure all patients receive clear information, choice and continuity of care, and to work with all the Portsmouth practices to make sure they are suitably resourced to take on extra registrations.”

It is anticipated that all patients will have moved to new GP practices by April 2023. At the moment patients do not need to do anything. Patients are asked not to re-register themselves with another practice at this stage. HIOW ICB are writing to patients with details of the practices which patients are within the boundary of and can move to.

Patients will be offered the opportunity to express their preference for which GP practice they move to, and we will do our best to match patients’ preferences based on geography and practices’ capacity to accept new patients. We will ensure everyone continues to receive the care they need, particularly those who live with a long-term health condition.

Second letters to patients have been sent today and include options for a patients’ new GP practice and information about the upcoming patient information events.

Dr Shishirkant Choudhary, senior partner of North Harbour Medical Group, said: “It’s been a difficult decision to close the practice and while we’ve been working with partners to consider all alternative options, in the end we feel that moving patients to other practices locally is the most viable option. Until then, we remain open and will continue to offer services as before. We’re also working hard to make sure that our patients with long-term conditions receive the care they need, and ensure a smooth closure with minimal disruption on the quality of care on offer to patients.”