Concerns raised over village's only GP provider
BBCThere should be more than one GP provider operating in a village where patients were "badly let down", local leaders have said.
Lanchester Medical Centre, in County Durham, was placed in special measures last year after it was rated as inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
There have been calls to appoint another provider after patients voted that they had no confidence in the practice's leadership at two public meetings in November.
The North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) said work to implement the CQC's recommendations continued.
Lanchester Medical Centre provides care to about 4,100 people and is run by Dr Harpreet Singh Kalra.
He returned to the practice last week after being prevented from carrying out services there for several months in the wake of the CQC report.
Kalra is also in charge of Browney House Surgery in Langley Park, which is rated as good and also has a satellite practice in Lanchester.
Local Labour councillor Alison Gray said people in the village should be able to choose between more than one provider.
She added she was worried long-term conditions might be missed if people put off going to see a doctor.
Kalra has been contacted for a comment.
The CQC said it was continuing to monitor Lanchester Medical Centre and was working closely with partner organisations to ensure people are receiving safe care.
"I think the only solution now is for another provider to be allowed to operate in Lanchester," Gray said.
"If you are elderly and you can't drive, you are stuck, because the buses aren't good enough.
"If you wanted to go out for a meal in Lanchester, you've got a choice of three restaurants. If you wanted to go to a pub, there's four pubs, there's two paper shops, there's two places to buy fruit and veg.
"But you've got one GP and I just think in the 21st Century that is really poor."
North Durham MP Luke Akehurst said residents had been raising "very serious concerns" with him about their experiences with the GP practice.
"As their local MP, I believe Lanchester Medical Centre patients have been badly let down and deserve a new GP who will provide the high quality service every NHS patient deserves," he added.
'Long journey' to improvement
The CQC's report said inspectors had found "serious leadership failings" which put people at risk.
South Durham Health Community Interest Company (CIC) was brought in after the inspection to make improvements.
But patients have claimed services have not got better, with concerns around lack of appointments and continuity of care.
A spokesperson for Lanchester Medical Centre Patient Participation Group said there was "a very long journey" to improvement ahead.
"We met with the registered provider and the Chief Executive of South Durham Health earlier this week," the spokesperson said.
"Whilst we acknowledge the improvement initiatives outlined to us, the levels of communication we continue to receive from patients suggests to us that there is a very long journey to improvement ahead."
Dr Neil O'Brien, medical director for the North East and North Cumbria ICB said South Durham CIC had taken "urgent and immediate steps" to stabilise the practice.
"Following the publication of the CQC's report, we will continue to work with them, South Durham CIC and the provider to ensure that the recommendations outlined in the report are implemented," he said.
