Future of King Street Health Centre, Wakefield
The petition of residents of Wakefield,
Declares that King Street Health Centre is a vital service for Wakefield, and helps to ease the pressures on local GP surgeries, pharmacies, and Pinderfields Hospital; further that Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group is reviewing the future of the GP-Ied services at King Street Health Centre, as the contract is up for renewal in March 2017; further that the petitioners are concerned that closure or removal of services from King Street Health Centre would put at risk the future of the King Street Walk-in Service, which shares the same facilities, staff and building; and further that 1955 persons have signed an online petition in similar terms.
The petitioners therefore request the House of Commons to urge the Government and Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group to take all necessary steps to ensure that King Street Health Centre remains open and has the current contract for GP-Ied services extended to allow Wakefield residents continued access to health care.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Mary Creagh, Official Report, 11 January 2017; Vol. 619, c. 428.]
[P002001]
Observations from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (David Mowat):
Configuration of health services is a matter for the local NHS. Any changes must meet the four tests for service change: they must have support from GP commissioners, be based on clinical evidence, demonstrate public and patient engagement, and consider patient choice.
Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) advises that no decision has been taken on the future of the GP surgery based at King Street Health Centre. The contract with the current service provider (Local Care Direct) expires in March 2017. The CCG advises it therefore conducted 12 weeks of engagement with the local community and other stakeholders.
The engagement asked patients to consider what aspects of care patients value, their views on the care they receive, any worries they might have about a potential change and what support, if any, they would require should there be a change. These questions covered aspects of the three options currently being considered. The CCG advises that in total 223 surveys were completed via various sources and that the results are currently being analysed by an independent company. The final consolidated report and request for decision on the future of services will be presented to the Probity Committee on 31 January 2017.
The CCG advises that the walk-in service at King Street Health Centre is provided under a separate contract which has been extended until October 2017. Any proposal to change this service would be the subject of a separate public engagement exercise.