Future of Leeds GP surgery is secured

The future of a doctor's surgery has been secured after a GP practice in a neighbouring village won a contract to take it over.

Swillington Health Practice will be under new management from November after a new provider was found by NHS bosses in Leeds.

It will become a branch surgery of nearby Oulton Medical Centre.

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The potential closure of the Swillington surgery sparked a public outcry in January, when around 120 people attended a public meeting at the village hall.

Fears were raised that elderly and disabled people would be left with too far to travel for appointments if the surgery closed.

The Swillington practice was at risk after healthcare provider Grange Medicare pulled out of running it, along with New Cross Surgery in Rothwell and Middleton Park Surgery, after its contract ends in October.

In February, bosses at NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which controls the city’s health budget, agreed to keep all three surgeries open after a public consultation was held.

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Now Oulton Medical Centre will take over the Swillington surgery from November 1 after being appointed by CCG bosses.

New providers are yet to be found for the Rothwell and Middleton surgeries, the CCG confirmed.

Jacqui Smith, who chairs the Swillington surgery’s Patient Representative Group, said: “This seems to be good news on the face of it. The Oulton practice has a good reputation.”

Grange Medicare has held the contract to run the three surgeries since 2008.

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NHS Leeds CCG said bids for the Swillington GP contract went before a panel of experts.

A CCG spokesperson said: “NHS Leeds CCG conducted a rigorous process which invited Leeds GP providers to bid for the Swillington service.

“Leeds CCG continues to work with colleagues to bring about a successful procurement process and identification of a preferred provider which will see the delivery of services for the registered GP populations of New Cross and Middleton Park.”