THE start of the New Year will see the next steps being taken towards a clearer future for the Okement GP practice. The Devon Primary Care Trust will be holding a second public meeting in Okehampton on, in the PCT's words, 'the best way of providing high quality GP services in Okehampton'. The meeting will be held on Friday January 11 at 7.30pm in the Charter Hall. This news should come as a welcome relief for patients who, after a series of errors by the PCT, only found out about the previous meeting through the Times on the day it was being held. At that meeting the PCT faced widespread criticism about its choice of venue and the time the meeting was held. Patients felt that a meeting of such importance should have been held at the Charter Hall rather than the Ockment Centre and that the time of 6pm was unreasonable. The PCT appear to have taken these criticisms on board with the next meeting being held at 7.30pm and at the Charter Hall. The meeting will explain the tendering process for the Okement Primary Care Centre (GP practice) which the PCT has decided no longer to run directly. Details will be heard at the meeting of the specification for the practice — those placing a bid to tender the practice will have to show they can meet the specification. At the previous meeting, patients stated that they wished to be involved in choosing who will run their practice. The PCT has said that at this meeting patients will have a chance to discuss the trust's ideas for giving patients some influence on the tendering process. Dr Nick D'Arcy, a GP and member of the trust board, said: 'We have framed the specification so that anyone interested in running the practice at Okement will have to demonstrate that they can provide a first class service for patients. 'We will be judging the tenders, above all else, on quality and innovation. As a partner in a GP practice myself, I am convinced that independent practices are best placed to judge local needs and meet those needs. 'I think patients should be encouraged that the practice will no longer be run directly by the PCT. It presents a great opportunity for us to assure the long-term future of the practice.' Okement is one of only two GP practices in Devon to be run by the trust; the other offers a special service for homeless people. The remaining 105 practices in the county are run by the GPs themselves. The PCT said: 'These practices work under contract with the trust, with GPs deciding how best to operate their practice, staff and work. This is the normal situation nationwide and allows local doctors to decide on the best ways of providing care.' Responding to an autumn survey, 80% of patients at Okement said they wanted the practice put out to tender as a way of settling its long-term future. The majority of patients also stated their 'great satisfaction' with the practice and its location. The PCT added: 'The meeting on January 11 will also give people an opportunity to express their views on the priorities for health care services in Okehampton.' l The Okement GP practice is based at Okehampton Hospital. The majority of patients in the Okehampton area come under Okehampton Medical Centre, in East Street.
