GP partners at troubled Biggleswade surgery resign

Healthcare services in Biggleswade have suffered another setback with GP partners at Ivel Medical Centre resigning their contract to run one of the town’s surgeries.

“This undoubtedly will be unsettling for patients,” a meeting of Central Bedfordshire Council’s Biggleswade joint committee heard yesterday (Thursday, January 19).

Conservative Biggleswade South councillor Mark Foster explained: “All staff will be eligible to transfer to the new providers to help with the continuity of care for patients.

“We seek assurances from the BLMK integrated care board (ICB) that the practice will remain open from June 1, with a smooth transition to the new provider and no disruption to the GP services on which residents depend.”

Councillor Foster, who chairs the committee, also updated the situation surrounding an integrated health and social care hub for Biggleswade which was set to be scrapped last week.

“CBC and Biggleswade Town Council support this model for future health care provision locally to meet the needs of current and future populations,” he added.

“Funds to build a hub in Biggleswade remain in CBC’s capital programme at present.”

Conservative Sandy councillor Tracey Stock said: “We’ve the money in our budget for the Biggleswade hub and we’re still committed to it.

“I’ve addressed this with the ICB chairman Dr Rima Makarem, who felt frustrated about what came out of last week’s meeting. We’ll discuss this further.

“It’s fair to say there’s been some backpeddling about what was said at the original meeting.”

Deputy mayor Madeline Russell said: “I was notified about the Ivel Medical Centre as a councillor, not as a patient.

“Whatever comes after May 31 can’t be any worse than the service we’ve received for the last few months.

“We’ve had nothing but complaints as councillors, particularly about that surgery. I thought they had to give six months’ notice, so presumably notified the ICB earlier than it’s been made public.”

CBC portfolio holder for health and wellbeing councillor Stock replied: “It’s not in the public domain yet. There are frustrations over that.”

Councillor Russell added: “It’s unacceptable. It’s in the public domain because the staff know.”

In a statement on the medical centre, the ICB said: “We’ll continue to support the partners and staff to provide care during their contract notice period, at the end of May.

“The ICB has begun the process to appoint a temporary provider for 18 to 24 months from June 1, while we undergo a process to find a longer-term provider to deliver patient services.”

BLMK ICB director of primary care Nicky Poulain said: “We’re saddened to accept the resignation from the current GP partners at Ivel Medical Centre.

“Patients don’t need to do anything and we’ll keep them informed of developments.”

GP Jane Hartree, for Ivel Medical Centre, said: “It’s with a heavy heart as a partnership we’ve made the difficult decision that we can no longer provide the services we’d like for our patients and have decided to resign our contract.

“We’ll work with the ICB and the new providers to ensure a seamless transition for staff and patients.”