Update on Fairhill GP practice
Date published:
The Department of Health can confirm that the GP practice at Fairhill Health Centre, Magherafelt will proceed with closure on 31 October 2024, with patients transferring to neighbouring practices.
Having pursued and assessed all feasible options at length, the Department has concluded that the assignment of patients is the best way to ensure continuity of GP services for those affected patients.
Letters have been issued to patients by post today, detailing which of the 11 neighbouring GP surgeries in the Magherafelt and Mid-Ulster areas they will be allocated to with effect from 1 November 2024.
Patients of Fairhill Health Centre should continue to access services there as normal until 31 October 2024.
The current Fairhill Health Centre GP contractor submitted notice of intention to terminate contract - due to retirement - on July 31st 2024.
That triggered an automatic three month period, where either the practice would close or a new GP contractor agreed to take it over.
Significant efforts to find a new GP contractor were made but have proved unsuccessful.
These included advertising the contract extensively, engaging with the local GP Federation, discussions with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and the local medical committee.
Departmental officials have engaged repeatedly in relation to a proposal to build a new health centre in the locality. However, this proposal would have involved public funds being used to either pay rent significantly above market valuation or provide a capital grant to enable a Limited Company to develop and own the new premises. Neither of these options would have been possible under the arrangements for taxpayer-funded support for GP premises development.
Notes to editors:
1. There are currently 2,394 patients registered at Fairhill Health Centre.
2. Alongside the letter to patients advising of their new GP practices, 47 patients who currently live outside the practice boundary will also receive correspondence asking them to register with another practice within the boundary where they currently live.
3. The Fairhill contract was advertised in August and expressions of interest sought but, unfortunately, no formal applications were received. The GP Federation Support Unit did not submit an expression of interest in taking over this practice.
4. The patients will be assigned across 11 practices (there are 13 practices in total where patients could have been assigned, however 2 of the 4 practices in Cookstown will not receive any patients), Assignments will proportional to the receiving practice size. An additional payment is being provided to the receiving practices, in addition to what they will receive ordinarily under their contract, to facilitate new patient reviews.
5. Priorities in the process include allocating families to the same practice.
6. In line with General Medical Services Contract regulations, GP Practices are not permitted to refuse registration of assigned patients in these circumstances. That said, the Department remains willing to engage positively to identify workable outcomes. The Department will continue to provide support to GP practices receiving patients.
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