#CrisisAtTheClinic: Stamford patients prevented from joining Rutland GP after mass exodus
Empingham's patient list 'has grown by over 3,000' in recent years
A Rutland GP has changed its catchment area so no patients can register if they live in Stamford, our #CrisisAtTheClinic Investigation can reveal.
It's after we exclusively showed patient numbers at Lakeside Healthcare at Stamford had dropped by almost 2,500 in the past two years, according to weighted figures.
Former chairman of the Lakeside at Stamford Patient Participation Group, Andrew Nebel, tells us a large number of them had transferred to Empingham Medical Centre:
'It would be wrong to describe all of those transferees into Empingham as coming from Lakeside, but a very large number have come. I know as a patient at Empingham, I've heard from the doctors there that their list has grown substantially with a large number of people transferring away from Lakeside.'
'In having absorbed some (patients) and got to the point where it was worried about being able to cope, it has re-defined its area to prevent anyone from Lakeside Stamford transferring into it - so it's had to take precautionary measures.'
After analysing NHS Digital Data, we can also reveal almost one-million new patients have registered at a GP in the past year, with 134,163 more registered patients as of 1 November 2022, compared to 1 October 2022.
Almost 1,000 new people have joined Empingham Surgery in the past year alone, according to NHS Digital Data.
Lakeside Healthcare at Stamford said staff would 'continue to work hard to get the practice up to a better standard' and that a new digital consultation system was launched 'in order to address increased demand and access issues'.
No help from higher up
Andrew Nebel, who's also a Parish Councillor for Ryhall near Stamford, tells us he recognises the issues that need tackling at Lakeside Healthcare in Stamford - but that the GP was being left with little help.
"The real presenting challenge is, is that there is no coherent macro health plan for this area. Were there to be a Lincolnshire ICS (Integrated Care System) plan for this corner of the county - South Kesteven - then I think a more sensible approach could be taken to resourcing the delivery of healthcare."
"In effect, Lakeside is being left on its own to cope with some really serious macro issues that need to be looked at, at a higher level in the healthcare structure.'
The NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board said in statement:
"NHS Lincolnshire ICB continues to offer support to Lakeside Healthcare following their most recent CQC inspection and continues to work closely with partners to develop wider plans for healthcare in the area. "
'We might end up with no general practice.'
A Rutland health boss tells us he's not surprised to hear practices in Stamford and across the country are being met with significant problems.
Figures from the Royal College of General Practitioners show almost 2,000 GPs left the profession in the past 7 years.
With NHS Digital Data revealing over 130,000 new patients registered at a GP compared to last month - there's concern over GP staff workloads.
Chair of the Leicestershire and Rutland Local Health Committe, Dr Grant Ingrams, says it's no surprise that some patients are having trouble accessing primary care:
'Lots of practices are just not coping and, all you need, is one GP to leave, we're unable to recruit, other GPs then start to burnout - they can't cope and gradually leave or start to reduce their hours and the practice just slowly falls apart.'
'Practices that can't recruit additional GPs and can't cope with the workload, that then have to close down, then you get this domino effect working out. It is estimated that there's going to be some areas of the country, particularly inner-city, where we might end up with no general practice.'
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:
"The Health and Social Care Secretary has been clear that improving access to primary care is one of his key priorities and there were nearly 2,300 more full time equivalent doctors working in general practice in September 2022 compared to the same time in 2019.
“We are making 4,000 training places available for GPs each year and also offering a salary supplement to attract general practitioner trainees to work in areas of the country that have been hard to recruit in, including in the East Midlands."
Speaking at the NHS Providers annual conference on November 16, the Health Secretary also implied more funding could be made available in the Government's Autumn Budget:
“Having been chief of staff in number 10, having been the minister responsible for persuading the Treasury, having been the minister responsible for the Cabinet Office, is actually a very good understanding as to how best to make the case for the Department of Health and also in terms of our care sector, in terms of making that case to the centre. So, I can absolutely confirm that we do need support to meet those inflationary pressures.”
The Government's Autumn Budget will be announced later today.