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Massive revamp of Leeds GP services
DOZENS of doctors' surgeries in Leeds could be redeveloped to form multi-million pound supersurgeries under a deal involving the private sector.
The new private finance deal in South and East Leeds will see a new "joint-venture company" - made up of an existing conglomerate of Leeds GPs, private companies and the local NHS - pump money into 29 surgeries which house 126 doctors and serve more than 250,000 patients between them.
The new company – Leodis Community Ventures – will own the buildings although GP services will still be funded by the NHS and patients will keep their family doctors.
The YEP has learnt that, as part of the deal, the firm could soon build several massive medical multiplexes which, as well as housing GP surgeries, would also be available for rental to private healthcare providers like physiotherapists and chiropodists.
Pharmacists and even community services like libraries could be potential tenants.
Doctors say the plans are about trying to expand the city's existing cramped and crumbling surgeries.
And supporters stress the deal is nothing like the Government's controversial 'polyclinics' scheme which was recently mooted for Leeds but met with disdain from doctors.
Dr Chris Reid, joint chief executive of Leodis Community Ventures, said: "We looked at our premises and concluded that if we wanted to create 21st century facilities, we needed to work strategically.
"Leodis Community Ventures is about retaining the local identity of the GP whilst providing the corporate vehicle to develop them. It's about putting in place the building blocks to allow a vision for the next 10 years.
"We believe we are in a position to truly change the landscape of healthcare in Leeds."
It is believed the new Leeds Private Finance Initiative is the first time such a deal has been struck by a GP-led initiative and a pre-existing private/public partnership.
Similar Government-sponsored schemes have already been set up in Leeds in Scott Hall Road (Rutland Lodge), Yeadon and Dewsbury Road, with mixed levels of success.
Despite the promise of money being poured into local healthcare, campaigners today warned it was the start of the "creeping privatisation" of Leeds's local health services.
Maureen Idle, a former St James's Hospital nurse who sits on the local NHS Patient Advisory Group as well as the Leeds Hospital Alert group, said: "We are totally against any privatisation in the health service.
"We would not oppose pharmacies and other community health services in surgery buildings, that's convenient and it makes sense.
"But we are opposed to other totally private services like physiotherapy alongside NHS services in the same building.
"These people are in it primarily to make profit, not for the good of the people.
"It's creeping privatisation."
Dr Andy Harris, chairman of Leodis Community Ventures, has been a GP partner for 14 years in East Leeds.
He said concerns were understandable but the new deal would actually keep NHS care "closer to home" and provide real "one-stop-shops" for community healthcare.
Nigel Fenny, also joint chief executive of the project, said the new deal was an" extremely exciting and unique project" and there was a "real commitment" to improving health care for the 260,000 people who live in East and South Leeds.
Dr Richard Vautrey, a GP at Meanwood Group Practice in Leeds and deputy chairman of the British Medical Association, agreed the cramped conditions of many of Leeds' surgeries means something has to happen.
But he warned there could be "potential conflicts" if the NHS element was seen to be "sanctioning" the private element in any way.
He also believes the current financial climate could pose unseen problems for the ambitious project.
Leodis Community Ventures is made up of Community Ventures Leeds Ltd (formerly Leeds LIFT) and Leodis Care Ltd.
The former is a public/private partnership between Barclays, Miller Construction, Leeds PCT, Leeds City Council and the Department of Health.
The latter is an NHS 'limited provider' company owned jointly by a conglomerate of GP practices, which also offers other services like diabetes and dermatology clinics, minor surgery and enhanced care to the elderly.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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