In May, it was announced that The Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) – also known as NHS Sussex – planned to replace the Wellsbourne Healthcare Community Interest Company (CIC) in Whitehawk Road, Brighton, with Leeds-based One Medical Group.
The decision was met with huge outcry from residents and employees, the CIC also appealing against the decision.
NHS Sussex has now announced that plans have been paused after four areas of the procurement process were found to not be in line with rules set by the National Provider Selection Regime – a set of rules which should be followed when procuring health care services in England.
The findings were revealed in a report by the National Independent Patient Choice and Procurement Panel, who recommended NHS Sussex to go back to an earlier stage of the procurement process to address the issues identified.
The panel also warned that greater weight should have been given to social value and community interest.
The surgery on Whitehawk Road in Brighton (Image: Google Maps) Amy Galea, Chief Integration and Primary Care Officer at NHS Sussex, said: “We remain committed to delivering a high quality, value for money GP services in Whitehawk that meets the needs of the local community.
“We have received the report from the Panel and need to take this into account and also recognise all of the feedback that we have received from service users, residents and partners over recent weeks.
“Our ambition has always been to ensure that there is the best possible GP services offered to the local residents in this area of the city, and we will now consider our options to see how best to achieve this.
“In the meantime, it is important to assure all patients at the current practice that there are no changes to their current services, and people should access help and support from the practice in the usual ways.”
NHS Sussex will now consider the next steps through its formal governance process.
MP Chris Ward was joined with employees from the surgery this afternoon (July 24) to celebrate the decision.
Speaking to The Argus, he said: “It’s a victory for everyone who’s campaigned on this over the last few months, and for the local community, and for patients and staff here.
“There was a real worry in the community that they’d lose a local GP surgery, or a local provider that they trusted and had worked with.
MP Chris Ward (Image: Andrew Gardner/The Argus) “Today highlights that it is worth showing that community matters and that people should always be put ahead of profits in the NHS.
“There’s a lot of learning for NHS Sussex to do going forward, but I think today’s a good step on it.”
Over the last few months, he had written to NHS England and NHS Sussex highlighting residents concerns, as well as raising the issue with health ministers in parliament.
Employees at the surgery said the announcement felt like a “win for democracy”.
They said: “We are very pleased; all we want to do is stay here and provide health care to the people of Whitehawk.
“It’s just so important for whatever comes next that the people of Whitehawk are listened to. That’s all they want and that’s what they’ve been telling us.
“We’ve always believed in what we do and it’s really amazing to hear that there’s people out there which believe in us as well.
“It’s a real win from democracy. It shows that decisions being made at a distance don’t always work and it’s been amazing to see how people have really spoken up.”
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