13th Feb 2023

North Harbour update: Commissioners are working to keep services in central Cosham

Thank you to all those who have filled out our survey regarding the closure of the North Harbour practice.

The results gave us a clear picture of what patients wanted and we were able to present this to local health commissioners as well as the two GP practices who are expected to take over the bulk of patients from North Harbour.

We have had some success in making the case to keep services as close to North Harbour as possible. We have also made the case for flexibility to be shown when people are choosing another GP practice because where a person lives is just one factor in choosing a practice.

Podiatry

The plan had been to move services out to Jubilee House.

Through our survey, we have been able to show that the vast majority of people want podiatry to remain in central Cosham. Jubilee House is harder to get to. Over 95% of responders who use this service said they’d like it to remain in central Cosham.

Following a meeting with Solent Health Trust and another with the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and the two GP practices that have sites in Cosham, all parties have agreed to work up a plan to enable this to happen.

Drayton practice, with a site on Wootton street, and Portsdown Group at Cosham Park House, which already has a full-time podiatrist, are looking at ways of retaining Solent service at these sites.

Solent Trust is content for that to happen.

GP transfer

On current survey returns, we are expecting patients to be able to access their first choice of new GP surgery.

My advice for patients who wish to attend another practice, other than those they were offered, is to email the ICB with their choice and reasons.

We are continuing to work with the Department of Health to ask NHS England to release capital funding to build a new health facility at Cosham earlier than planned. We should hear if we have been successful in the next few weeks.

Continuity of care

We had a positive meeting with the ICB regarding continuity of care and I am pleased with a number of updates given which will help continuity of care. Patients will most likely have continuity of non-GP staff.