FOLLOWING a tense public meeting last month regarding the future of the Okement Surgery, NHS England has addressed some key questions about the situation and the capacity of other local surgeries.

Tensions ran high at the meeting held in the Charter Hall discussing the closure of the surgery, which will shut its doors in April. NHS England wishes to provide some clear answers to questions raised at the meeting and assuage any fears patients may have over capacity at other practices.

NHS England assistant contract manager Rachael Crawley spoke to the Times to answer some questions.

Why can’t you just roll forward the Okement contract?

’The contract was always time-limited. We were allowed to roll it forward, which we did until 2016, but that is as much as we could do without having to retender.

’The extra time enabled us to look at capacity locally, and it became clear that other practices in the area would be able to provide care for all patients for many years to come as the town grew.

’With very small practices like Okement finding it hard to cope, we would also have been very unlikely to get bidders for a new contract, especially as the amount of money available per patient would have been far lower than now. Okement is funded at a much higher level than other practices in the area, but the formula has now been changed nationally to make it fairer.’

Why didn’t people know that the contract was time-limited?

’Contract time-limits are not secret, and we would expect practices themselves to make this clear to patients as part of their ongoing relationship. Nevertheless, we wrote out to all patients nearly six months before the end of the contract to explain the position, to allow plenty of time for everyone to take a considered decision about where to re-register.’

How can you say there is enough capacity at other practices?

’We have invested in extended premises at Okehampton Medical Centre, giving it space for at least 16,000 patients. More staff are being recruited and the phone system improved. Okehampton Medical Centre are making services more accessible; you can book appointments online as well as by telephone, and you can email your repeat prescription requests and request prescriptions online.

’Other practices in the area are also very keen to take on more patients, not least because this makes them more resilient at a time when they have to make every penny count.’

Why are people having to wait for weeks to get a GP appointment at Okehampton Medical Centre?

’People who need to be seen urgently will get an appointment the same day. However, the practice also runs personal lists so people can keep going back to ’their’ doctor. In that case, there may be a bit of a wait, but that is down to the patient’s choice.’

Okehampton Medical Centre is to hold an open day on Saturday, February 13 to talk with current and new patients on the future of the surgery and to answer any questions they may have.

The centre is holding the event from noon to 3pm for patients and new patients alike to look around the centre, meet staff and find out about self check-in and patient access online. The centre has decided to hold the open day partly in response to speculation surrounding Okehampton Medical Centre’s capacity to cope with the influx of new patients heading its way.

Hugh Norman, chair of the patient participation group at Okehampton Medical Centre said: ’I understand patients’ concerns about appointments. However, feedback from patients who completed the friends and family test in 2015 has averaged over 90% saying they are highly likely or likely to recommend the practice to friends and family. The Care Quality Commission rated the practice as good in every area measured.

’I would invite people to come to the open day on Saturday, February 13 and find out for themselves how the appointment system works, see the new automated check-in and meet the GPs, nurses and practice staff — there is plenty of parking, enough for 60 cars.’