Photo: Alan Mak MP outside the current Emsworth Surgery building with doctors from the practice.
Havant and Emsworth MP Alan Mak has described his recent meeting to push for a new Emsworth surgery as “very positive”. Mak said a new routemap has been agreed and all parties are now agreed on what steps need to be taken. He emphasised that it will take time for a new surgery building to be developed and there’s still much work to do, but the process was now clearer and now moving forward.
Alan emphasised that the meeting was not designed to make any final decisions about the surgery's physical shape or the services it would provide. The meeting clarified the processes the NHS bodies will be using, including ways in which residents, community groups and other interested can share their ideas.
Emsworth Surgery have been looking to move to new and larger premises at the old Victoria Cottage Hospital site for over a decade, but the move has encountered several difficulties which Mak hopes are now in the past.
Alan Mak MP convened a meeting on Friday 18 September 2015 which brought together the surgery’s doctors, three NHS bodies, and councillors from Havant and Hampshire councils to move the process forward and to provide Alan with an update on the situation.
Emsworth's local MP has now secured an agreement from all parties to follow a new routemap towards a new surgery, and secured an agreement on the specific steps needed to ensure Emsworth gets a new surgery. Following the meeting, Mak has been in touch with Emsworth surgery's dcotors and the NHS bodies to confirm the routemap.
A key outcome was gaining clarity on which NHS body local residents, community groups and other interested parties could contact with their thoughts and ideas on the new surgery's design and the services it should offer. South Eastern Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group has now been identified as the relevant body, and a named official will be available to receive representations from local residents, community groups and other interested parties. Alan is encouraging those with an interest to make representations. See below for more details. Alan will continue to engage with local community groups and local councillors to listen to their views.
Alan Mak MP said, “I organised the meeting to bring everyone together to re-energise the move process. We agreed a new routemap setting out what steps need to be taken to get a new surgery. It will take time and there’s still much work to do, but we are now moving forward. This is very positive news.”
Mak said the Emsworth Surgery move issue is complicated because a large number of organisations are involved including 3 NHS bodies – NHS England, NHS Property Services and South Eastern Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group, (SEH CCG) – as well as the current doctors’ surgery. Additionally, detailed plans for the construction of a new surgery need to be drawn up and agreed by both NHS bodies and the surgery, adding to the complexity.
Mak added that he would not be involved in the planning or design process and would not have the final say on what services the surgery would offer.Instead, the current Emsworth Surgery and the SEH CCG are responsible for the final design of the new surgery and the services that it provides. NHS England have stipulated that the new building will be for a new doctors’ surgery only but residents and community groups with thoughts on any further services offered should contact the SEH CCG directly.
Brendan Gibb-Gray, councillor for Emsworth on Havant Borough Council said, “All three Emsworth Borough Councillors attended Alan’s meeting, and we’re pleased the doctors and the NHS have now agreed a way forward. Residents have waited patiently for a number of years for a new surgery as it’s clear the current building is not suitable for a growing patient list and we look forward to speedy decisions leading to a rebuild at the old hospital site.”
Dr. Abu Chinwala, who represented the Emsworth Surgery’s doctors at the meeting said, “We covered a lot of ground during Alan’s meeting, and the process is now moving forward. We’re working hard with the NHS on our plans for a new surgery, and welcome the support we got from Alan and Emsworth’s local councillors.”
Any residents, community groups and other interested parties with thoughts on the design of the new surgery, which services should be offered, and other representations, are welcome to put them forward to Lisa Medway at South Eastern Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group at [email protected] or in writing to:
Lisa Medway
South Eastern Hampshire CCG
CommCen Building
Fort Southwick
James Callaghan Drive
Fareham
Hampshire
PO17 6AR