FAILSWORTH’S Labour Councillors have welcomed Oldham health bosses’ intervention in Failsworth Group Practice.

Last week Failsworth Labour Councillors Pete Davis, Elaine Garry and Norman Briggs wrote to local health leaders demanding that action be taken to ensure patient safety after a Care Quality Commission rated the surgery “inadequate” in all areas.

It has now been announced that Failsworth Group Practice have had their contract to
provide GP services terminated by the Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and
patients will be transferred to other local surgeries.

The Councillors’ letter came after months of work behind the scenes by the three Labour
councillors pressing health bosses for improvements at Failsworth’s largest local GP
practice.

The Councillors had given the practice the opportunity to improve following an inspection
highlighting problems last spring. However, the most recent inspection report, revealed that things had got worse at the surgery, which prompted them to demand urgent action be taken.

The letter to health bosses prompted a crisis meeting between representatives from Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group and the practice.

It is understood that the letter, highlighting the Councillors’ concerns and referencing the
volume and nature of complaints that they had fielded from residents about the surgery, was read out in a contract review meeting by the CCG. It is following that news was then delivered to managers at Failsworth Group that the practice would lose its contract and patients would be transferred to other surgeries.

Councillor Pete Davis said, “I am pleased that our action has prompted such swift and
decisive intervention by local health bosses. The practice has been providing a poor service to its patients for many years. They have had plenty of time to turn things around but haven’t. I am glad that Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group recognised this and have now intervened.”

Councillor Elaine Garry said, “I’ve been getting complaints from patients unhappy with
Failsworth Group Practice for years. We tried the softly, softly approach of giving them time to sort themselves out but the people of Failsworth couldn’t be expected to wait any longer.”

Patients at Failsworth Group Practice are advised that they do not need to do anything and that they will be contacted with details of the options on surgery that they wish to be transferred to. It is understood that this is likely to be either Quayside Medical Practice or Medlock Medical Practice, both of which operate from the same building as Failsworth Group. However, patients will also be provided with support to move to elsewhere if they would prefer an alternative surgery.

Councillor Norman Briggs said, “In this country we believe that healthcare is a right, that’s
why we have the NHS free at the point of use. Though just because it is free it doesn’t mean that people should be expected to accept low standards. I will continue monitoring the situation to ensure that the transfer of patients to other surgeries goes smoothly.”