PRESTEIGNE residents are being assured that access to medical services will continue as normal, following the news that the town’s medical centre is changing management next month.

Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) has assured people who use Presteigne Medical Centre that it will be business as usual and there will be no disruption to the services provided by the centre once Shropshire Doctors Co-operative Ltd (Shropdoc) takes over the running of the practice from July 1.   

In a letter sent out to stakeholders at the end of May, PTHB explained that the change will have no material impact on their care.

“There will be no changes for anyone living locally,” said the health board in a statement.

“This is a contractual change rather than a change in provision; generally most GP practices across the UK are private GP partnerships operating under a contract with the NHS.

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“When a GP partnership needs to end this contract then a health board my temporarily take over the management of the practice until a new partnership is able to take it up.

“This is what has happened in this instance. Shropdoc will continue to run the practice from the same location, with the same staff, offering the same services.

“A similar letter sent to stakeholders was also sent to patients registered at Presteigne assuring them that they would continue to access services are normal.”

The health board assumed responsibility for Presteigne Medical Centre in 2018. This was always seen as a temporary solution until another provider could be found.

After a robust tender process, the health board says it has been able to successfully award the contract to Shropdoc.

Presteigne county councillor Beverley Baynham said: “I, along with all the other patients at Presteigne Medical Centre, received a letter recently informing us that Shropdoc will be taking over the running of the practice from July 1.

“I have not had any direct communications with Powys Teaching Health Board but we are assured the practice will continue to provide medical services to the community.

“I understand the health board running the surgery was only ever a temporary solution, so I am pleased Shropdoc will now be taking over.

“The concern of the residents is that they can see a medical professional in a timely manner and I am hopeful Shropdoc will be able to facilitate the medical needs of the community. I would like to thank the health board for stepping in and running the service for several years and welcome Shropdoc to the practice.”

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PTHB insist patients do not need to take any action and their registration with the practice will remain in place. It is reassuring patients that general medical services will continue to be provided from the practice and patients will continue to receive services as they do now, while they can continue to contact the practice in the normal way.

All patients have been written to explaining the change and that the switchover will have no material impact on their care or services. Both clinical and administrative staff at the practice will remain and services will continue to operate as normal.

Powys patients should be familiar with Shropdoc, which is the long-standing out of hours provider across Powys. It is an established company made up of over 170 GPs working across Shropshire and Powys, who have extensive experience of delivering primary care services collaboratively with other health organisations.

For further information, contact Presteigne Medical Centre on 01544 267985 or email practice.manager.w96438@wales.nhs.uk.

Want to stay up to date with all the latest stories from Powys? Click here to sign up for our morning and daily email newsletters and click on the + for the ‘Morning Briefing’ and the 'Daily Catch-Up'.