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GP Surgery to remain at Eaton Place, Kemptown

Sarah Green January 14, 2015

NHS England have announced that an NHS GP Surgery will continue at Easton Place in Kemptown.

Simon Kirby MP

THE SURGERY which has more than 5,600 patients on its books was due to close at the end of  February, 2015.

Simon Kirby, the Conservative MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven has along with others been campaigning for continued provision of a surgery at Eaton Place to benefit local patients in his constituency and had written to NHS England on January 5 calling for a decision to be made as soon as possible.

Simon said: “I have been working closely with Dr Marshall-Andrews and have lobbied NHS England repeatedly on this issue, including meeting with the Director for Sussex and her senior team to make the case in person.

“I was therefore delighted at the recent announcement that NHS England have awarded the contract to Dr Marshall-Andrews and that an NHS GP surgery will continue from the Eaton Place premises.

“This is great news for local patients, particularly the elderly and disabled who I know were very concerned about the potential upheaval.”

Dr Marshall-Andrews, who already runs a progressive, NHS practice in the city said: “I would like to thank Simon for all his help in making this a reality, he has been incredibly supportive and offered practical assistance without which we may very well not have got this great result.”

“My team and I can now look forward to providing the best possible care for local patients in surroundings that will be familiar to them. I would encourage anyone who wishes to remain a patient at Eaton Place to enrol with us.”

Nancy Platts, Labour parliamentary candidate for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven also led a community campaign to replace the surgery which included holding a public meeting, doing a local survey, asking a question to the Health and Wellbeing Board and running a petition.

Nancy PlattsNancy said: “This is a huge win for members of the community that have taken part in the campaign. I have had hundreds of people fill in surveys, attend the public meeting I held and sign our petition.”

“It was only in December that patients were told the surgery was not going to be replaced. It is inspiring to see what members of the community can do when they take stand”​

Ray Norman, a patient at the surgery, added: “I was terribly worried about the closure. I’ve been a patient there for many years and value having a surgery in our neighbourhood. Nancy is fantastic. She organised a meeting to update residents and has been running a petition to keep the surgery. This is a great result. It is a credit to her and the whole community campaign which has done so much to raise the issue with the Council and NHS England.”

A spokesperson from NHS England (South East) said:  “NHS England (South East) has approved a proposal from  the Brighton Health and Wellbeing Centre practice to open a branch surgery at Eaton Place. Setting up branch surgeries is, however, a challenging process involving complex financial and contractual negotiations between practices and premises owners regarding buying or leasing the premises. NHS England is not party to these negotiations.

“Due to ongoing negotiations, NHS England cannot yet guarantee that the branch surgery will be able to open or by what date.

“Our number one concern is to ensure that all patients registered at Eaton Place surgery have ongoing access to GP services once the practice closes on February 28, following the retirement of the two partners.

“It is vitally important that all patients currently registered at Eaton Place continue to re-register with an alternative practice until NHS England confirms whether a branch surgery is opening at Eaton place.  Even if a new branch surgery opens in Eaton Place in due course, patients would still need to re-register with another practice until the new surgery opens and is able to accept registrations.”

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