Plans to move GP practice services in South Tyneside

A South Tyneside Council scrutiny committee heard on Tuesday patient engagement activities are to take place to make changes to services at two GP practices in the area.

This included proposals from Ellison View Surgery to relocate from Campbell Park Road in Hebburn to The Glen, located in Glen Street, in the town.

The medical practice has a patient list of around 6,300, which the new site would be able to accommodate, according to officers.

Paul Irving, primary care commissioning manager at South Tyneside CCG, said the proposed move is due to disruptions caused by development works around the current site.

He said: “The reason the practice has taken this decision is because of the ongoing development work around the practice which has caused significant issues.”

Harton councillor Robert Dix, Harton questioned why the issues were not flagged up earlier over the impact of building work.

He said: “I still can’t get my head around the fact when you were planning, when all these houses were going to be built on that piece of land, that this problem didn’t hit you in the face then.”

Jo Farey, head of primary care at South Tyneside CCG, said they had discussed the potential for issues at the time and had talks with planners, however complications arose.

She said: “It just hasn’t worked out quite as planned, there’s been a number of issues with the contractors for example.”

Other health services were also previously provided at the Campbell Park Road site, which have since been relocated, or will soon be, according to CCG officers.

The comments were made at the Overview & Scrutiny Coordinating and Call-in Committee, where councillors were also updated on plans for another practice.

Officers noted Farnham Medical Group wish to propose a closure of their branch at Stanhope Parade Health Centre and relocate all services to their main site at 435 Stanhope Road.

The average number of patients consulting at the branch surgery was around 165 patients per week pre-covid, however since the start of the pandemic all services have moved to the main site.

Cllr Dix, chair of the committee, added more information was needed before the committee could come to a conclusion on both plans, but it was agreed they would note the report.

Patients impacted by both practice changes will be consulted and feedback will be collated ahead of applications being submitted to the CCG over the moves.

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