NHS: A fifth Sheffield health centre could be added to plans for GP surgeries to share new buildings

A new health centre could be set up in Sheffield city centre using government money if plans can be agreed in time for a deadline, councillors heard.

The council’s health scrutiny sub-committee was discussing proposals to move nine GP practices in north-east Sheffield into four health centres, using £37m Treasury funding earmarked to build five new health centres.

The committee heard that a fifth site in the city centre is being looked at again after previous proposals failed to go ahead.

Lucy Ettridge, deputy director of communications, engagement and equality at NHS South Yorkshire, told the committee that 5,000 people have taken part in public consultations for the four health centres planned for Burngreave, Parson Cross, Shiregreen and Fir Vale.

Under the current proposals, Burngreave Surgery and Sheffield Medical Centre would share the Foundry 1 centre in Spital Street, Burngreave and the Cornerstone Building on Burngreave Road and Herries Road Surgery would close. Page Hall Medical Centre and Upwell Street Surgery would move to Foundry 2 in Rushby Street, Fir Vale.

Firth Park Surgery and Shiregreen Medical Centre would move to the SAPA 1 centre at Concord Sports Centre and Melrose Surgery on Burngreave Road would close. The Health Care Surgery, Buchanan Road Surgery and Margetson Surgery would all move to SAPA 2 on Buchanan Road/Wordsworth Avenue.

More than half of people consulted said the Foundry 1 proposals would have a positive impact and 80 per cent would continue to use it. Foundry 2 was most popular, with more than half saying it was a positive move. Two-thirds would move there.

SAPA 1 was least popular, with less than half of respondents feeling positive, but 80 per cent would use it. SAPA 2 got a positive response from more than half of respondents and 80 per cent would go there.

Ms Ettridge said: “The issues we heard around travel weren’t about the older, disabled and vulnerable people. They said they were slightly less likely to be impacted.”

Accessible buildings

Jackie Mills, NHS South Yorkshire chief finance officer Sheffield, said that further NHS discussions will follow and she expected to report to the committee again on December 7. She added there is pressure on the programme because funding was made in 2018 and the Treasury would be eager to claw it back if progress is not being made.

NHS South Yorkshire aims to finalise its decisions on January 4.

James Martin of Disability Sheffield said his organisation was involved in the consultations. He asked what actions have been put in place to ensure that the centres’ designs are as accessible as possible. He also stressed the importance of disability awareness training for staff.

Committee chair Cllr Ruth Milsom said: “It is absolutely key that disability groups are able to come in and give some comprehensive advice on how to go forward. As a committee we will certainly ensure that all that is built into our consultations.”

Ms Ettridge replied: “The buildings will be built to the highest accessibility standards. We will involve people with lived experience and disability groups.” She also promised training will take place.

Jeremy Short of Sheffield Save Our NHS said the group is worried that GPs are being lost from high-priority areas. He also said that 44 per cent of people questioned saw no advantages to SAPA 1 and asked what steps are being taken to improve access for vulnerable patients,

Ms Mills said there are pressures in keeping GPs and practice staff, especially in deprived areas: “They are not on a level playing field. We are hoping this will do something to address that.”

Dr Josh Meek, clinical director at Foundry Primary Care Network and a GP in Firth Park, responded: “The biggest challenge is getting GP trainees into the surgery. Most don’t have rooms for trainees.

“At Firth Park, all my colleagues trained there, it’s the only one that is fully staffed. If you build bigger buildings that are training practices, you will get more GPs.

Staffing shortages

“Our mental health teams have to work from home. They have to review patients from home rather than being able to see them face to face. Two staff left because they were dissatisfied having to work in that way.

“Staffing shortages in general, it’s not going to fix this. It will definitely help to retain them.”

He said that for GPs, one big advantage was being a practice partner without the huge debt of building ownership as well.

Cllr Abtisam Mohamed was worried about the way the consultation was carried out, having encountered two of the survey team who asked questions without noting down replies and said they “got the jist” of what community language speakers said.

She was told her complaint had been taken up with the survey company, who said that was contrary to their practices. The NHS was reassured the survey had been conducted properly.

Cllr Mohamed said the main concern was patients want to see their GP quicker: “No information was given that moving to these centres actually wasn’t going to solve that problem.” She added: “The questions still remains that the public are asking for better, more efficient appointments with GPs but that doesn’t solve this problem.”

Cllr Martin Phipps raised the unpopularity of the Foundry 1 proposals with Herries Road surgery patients, asking “whether and how we balance the feedback from those patients”.

Ms Mills said the practice is a branch of Burngreave Surgery, only open three mornings a week. She said it was possible for patients to transfer to Norwood Medical Centre.

He also raised travel problems for patients without cars and was told NHS South Yorkshire has been in touch with the mayoral authority to look at changing bus routes to help.

Councillors decided to consider their views and reply by November 30, with an initial response being made by Cllr Milsom and the council head of legal and governance.

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