Have your say on a proposed GP practice merger

Northumbria Primary Care (NPC) have proposed a merger of four North Tyneside GP practices; 49 Marine Avenue Surgery, Park Parade Surgery, Spring Terrace Health Centre, and Nelson Medical Group. NPC will be entering an eight-week engagement period to gather feedback, understand what patients and stakeholders think and allow them to ask any questions.

Proposed merger

NPC want the views of patients and stakeholders on the proposed merger of 49 Marine Avenue Surgery, Park Parade Surgery, Spring Terrace Health Centre, and Nelson Medical Group

All of the above practices are NPC practices. They have a history of working together as NPC practices within the North Tyneside area and use the same clinical system. NPC are proposing to merge these practices. They believe that doing this will bring positive change and benefits for their patients. These include, but are not limited to:

• Improved access with the choice of appointments at any site.
• Economies of scale with shared resources.
• Centralisation of front and back-office functions. This will ensure they do things as efficiently as they can. It will also increase resilience.
• The chance to share best practice and build a stronger team.
• Reduced costs from improved efficiencies. This will allow for reinvestment to develop and expand the services they provide.
• Future sustainability to allow them to continue to deliver high-quality and safe primary healthcare.

What does this mean for patients?

NPC would like to assure patients that, as part of this proposal, they do not intend to close any of the current GP practice locations. Patients will continue to access care at their preferred site.

Patients do not need to do anything throughout this process. They will remain registered with their GP practice. They will also still be able to see their current GP and nursing staff.

Opening times and contact details for surgeries will remain the same apart from Nelson Medical Group which will open at 8.00am instead of 8.30am. The doctors, nurses and support staff that patients see will all remain the same. However, patients may notice some new faces working in the surgeries as some staff will work across sites.

Providing feedback

To understand what patients and stakeholders think and to allow them to ask any questions, NPC will be entering an eight-week engagement period with patients and local stakeholders to gather feedback. This process started on Tuesday, 16th January 2024 and will continue until Tuesday, 12th March 2024. You can provide feedback in several ways:

• Complete the online survey.
• Complete a hard copy survey which can be found in each of the practices.
• Write to your practice. This can be sent through the post or delivered to the reception team. You can also call your practice to give feedback.
• If you would like to give feedback to someone independent, please contact Healthwatch North Tyneside.
  • Text: 07413 385275. Healthwatch also offers a callback service. Send them a text and they will arrange to call you back at a time that suits you.
  • Email: info@healthwatchnorthtyneside.co.uk
  • Write to:
    Healthwatch North Tyneside
    Spirit of North Tyneside Community Hub
    2nd Floor Wallsend Customer First Centre
    16 The Forum
    Wallsend
    NE28 8JR
• You can also speak to PALS:
  • Call: 0800 032 0202
  • Email: pals@nhct.nhs.uk
  • Write to: FREEPOST PALS

NPC have created a list of frequently asked questions which can be downloaded below.

Proposed merger FAQs

The deadline for providing feedback is Tuesday, 12th March 2024.

Next steps and timeline

NPC would like to reiterate that this is a proposed merger at this stage and any final decision to proceed will be made by NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB). Once this engagement period has ended, NPC will compile all feedback and present it to the Integrated Care Board. They expect a decision to be made by Summer 2024.