NHS Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) received an application to merge Bursledon Surgery with Blackthorn Health Centre.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bursledon Surgery has been used as a hub for consultations with patients from across the Eastern Southern Parishes with suspected COVID-19 infection. More recently it has also been used as a vaccination site supporting the highly successful delivery of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Whilst Bursledon Surgery has been used for other purposes since spring 2020, patients have been offered face to face appointments at Blackthorn Health Centre or remote consultations via telephone, video or online.
The application confirmed that all GP services for all patients of both practices will in future be provided only from Blackthorn Health Centre.
The CCG’s Primary Care Commissioning Committee has now agreed the application and the practice’s proposal to create a single, stable practice able to deliver high quality continuing care to all patients from a single site.
The committee considered feedback on the proposal from over 1,200 people. Matters raised by local people, such as ability to travel between sites and GP practice sustainability, have been taken on board. The CCG is committed to working with local partners to ensure as many mitigations are in place as possible to support patients.
The Lowford Centre surgery site will now be used as a base for new staff employed by practices across the Eastleigh Southern Parishes (which includes Hedge End Medical Centre and West End Surgery) to support GPs in the delivery of care to their patients. This includes social prescribers, care navigators, physiotherapists, mental health practitioners, clinical pharmacists, youth counselling services and health and wellbeing coaches. It will also be used as a base for GP services at evenings and weekends, known locally as Appointments+ or 'the Hub'.