More on the Burnley Practice

I have been involved in supporting the fight to retain the Burnley Practice, a GP practice now at the Willesden Centre for Health and Care. Brent NHS was proposing to shut the practice and to disperse patients to other GPs. Having settled into the facilities at the Willesden Centre, patients now find their surgery is at risk yet again, in spite of assurances over the years to resolve concerns.  I worked with other councillors in leading objections and attending meetings with Primary Care Trust staff and patients.

It is really important for councillors to take up issues like this, especially to resolve a problem in an area where there are fewer GP’s per 100,000 population than other areas of the borough.  The issue was also raised at the council’s Health Partnerships Overview and Scrutiny Committee which recommended as follows:

“The Health Partnerships Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommends that NHS Brent carries out an open tender process for the Burnley Practice registered patients service. This is to ensure that the service continues to be delivered from Willesden Centre for Health and Care and to avoid dispersal of existing patients in an area which already has fewer GPs per head of population than other areas of Brent.”

As a result of the objections and meetings, a further look at options for the Burnley Practice and further meetings are expected before the final decision is made next month.