The GP Services at Kingfisher Surgery in Newport Pagnell are currently provided by Operose Health on a fixed-term contract which is due to end on 31 March 2024.
We are looking for an existing GP practice to run Kingfisher Surgery as its branch surgery.
Letters have been sent to every household with a patient registered at the practice via post to explain the situation. The content of the letter can be found at https://blmkhealthandcarepartnership.org/kingfisher.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What are general practices?
General practices are small to medium-sized businesses whose services are contracted by NHS commissioners to provide generalist medical services in a geographical or population area.
Most general practices in England are run by a GP partnership. These contracts do not have an end date. Some general practice contracts are also held by corporate bodies, who do not have to be GPs but must employ GPs and other qualified staff to provide services. This type of contract is time limited and must be reprocured every few years.
2. Why is the Kingfisher contract being renewed?
The contract at Kingfisher Surgery Health Centre is time limited and finishes on 31 March 2024. Therefore, a procurement exercise needs to take place to see who will deliver services from 1 April 2024.
As Kingfisher Surgery is a relatively small practice, we are looking for an existing GP practice to run the practice as a branch surgery.
3. What is the difference between a main and branch surgery?
There is not much difference between a main and branch surgery. When a GP practice has more than one surgery, they usually name one as their main surgery and the others as branch surgeries. The formal contract is usually in the name of the main surgery. The branch surgery normally has a different name and address. Patients can usually attend appointments at both the main and branch surgeries
4. Who will be running the practice from 1 April 2024?
The process to find a provider is underway. As soon as the process allows, we will confirm who the provider is to patients and stakeholders.
5. What does this mean for patients?
Patients will not be adversely affected and do not need to do anything. Services will continue from 1 April 2024 in the same way as they do now.
6. What does this mean for the staff?
The practice will transfer over to a new provider on 1 April 2024. All staff employed by the practice will be offered the opportunity to transfer over to the employment of the new provider.
7. Opening hours- What are the new opening hours?
From 1 November 2023 the surgery opening hours will be 8am-6.30pm Monday – Friday. Appointments will still be available until 8pm on weekday evenings and from 9am-5pm on Saturdays through the ‘primary care network’ (PCN) which Kingfisher Surgery belongs to.
These appointments can be booked by phoning the practice during normal opening hours. Some of these additional appointments may take place at a different surgery but you will be given full details when you book.
8. What is a primary care network (PCN)?
A primary care network (PCN) is a group of local practices working together to deliver additional services and better care to their patients.
9. Which PCN is Kingfisher Surgery part of?
Kingfisher Surgery is part of ‘The Bridge’ PCN. The GP practices in ‘The Bridge’ PCN are Kingfisher Surgery and Newport Pagnell Medical Centre.
10. What do I do if I have an urgent healthcare need when the practice is closed?
If you need access to an urgent appointment on Sundays or at any time outside of surgery hours, you should go to https://111.nhs.uk/ or dial 111. In an emergency dial 999.
11. I have more questions; how do I get in touch with you?
Please contact our primary care team on blmkicb.pccc@nhs.net or leave a voicemail message on telephone number 0800 148 8890 and someone will call you back.