MP welcomes surgery merger due next April
Wednesday, 12th November 2014.
Stourview Surgery and Dr Selby & Partners of Christmas Maltings are due to merge in April 2015.
Both premises will be used for medical services and the proposed name of the new practice is The Haverhill Family Practice.
The decision to merge the surgeries had been made by NHS England, but had been fought by the West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
Stourview was down to only one doctor, and if he was ill, there would be none at all, so something had to be done.
At the time the merger was first mooted, town mayor Cllr Roger Andre said it was 'unacceptable' that NHS England, a body on which the town had no representation, should be making the decision, and not the CCG on which the town was represented.
Town councillors had heard all practices in the town were short of doctors, the total deficit being four-and-a-half, and it meant a wait of up to four weeks to see your own doctor.
They felt a Stourview merger would add to the chaos and disruption.
But the town's MP, Matthew Hancock, commenting on the merger this week, said: “I welcome the merger of the Stourview surgery and Dr Selby & Partners GP practice that will take place next April in Haverhill.
"This is good news for Haverhill helping to improve healthcare for the town. I am working hard for all patients and will ensure the merger helps secure a better NHS for the future.
"I am pleased by this announcement, but it must signify the start of further improvements to help overall healthcare in the town.”
Both premises will be used for medical services and the proposed name of the new practice is The Haverhill Family Practice.
The decision to merge the surgeries had been made by NHS England, but had been fought by the West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
Stourview was down to only one doctor, and if he was ill, there would be none at all, so something had to be done.
At the time the merger was first mooted, town mayor Cllr Roger Andre said it was 'unacceptable' that NHS England, a body on which the town had no representation, should be making the decision, and not the CCG on which the town was represented.
Town councillors had heard all practices in the town were short of doctors, the total deficit being four-and-a-half, and it meant a wait of up to four weeks to see your own doctor.
They felt a Stourview merger would add to the chaos and disruption.
But the town's MP, Matthew Hancock, commenting on the merger this week, said: “I welcome the merger of the Stourview surgery and Dr Selby & Partners GP practice that will take place next April in Haverhill.
"This is good news for Haverhill helping to improve healthcare for the town. I am working hard for all patients and will ensure the merger helps secure a better NHS for the future.
"I am pleased by this announcement, but it must signify the start of further improvements to help overall healthcare in the town.”
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