Two Swindon GP practices have been given the green light to merge from the beginning of next month, as part of a move that will bring clinical teams closer together, as well as provide patients with additional services.
Great Western Surgery in Farriers Close is set to merge with Sparcells Surgery in
Midwinter Close tomorrow, Thursday 1st July.
The merger, which will see Great Western Surgery become a branch site of Sparcells Surgery, will not change how patients interact with their respective surgery, and there will be no need for patients to re-register, nor will there be a change to how appointments are booked.
Among the benefits of merging will be an increase in the availability of morespecialised staff at each site, such as mental health nurses and clinical pharmacists.
Staff at Carfax Health Enterprise, which manages both practices, have reassured
patients that the merger will not have a detrimental impact on the way advice, care
and treatment is accessed.
Sarah Smith, Director of Operations, Carfax Health Enterprise, said: “This merging of
GP practices is a very positive move, and ensures that the thousands of patients registered with both practices will continue to receive an equally high standard of care.
“Patients will not notice a difference in how their healthcare is provided, and we will
not be expecting patients of one surgery to travel to a new site for their appointments.
“The impact of the merger will be mostly visible behind the scenes, where our teams
will begin to work in a more joined-up way and share resources, expertise and ongoing learning across geographical boundaries.”
Carfax Health Enterprise, which also provides GP services at the Swindon NHS Health Centre, formed as a not-for-profit organisation in 2009.
The community interest company is part of the Brunel Health Group primary care
network, which brings together more than two dozen Swindon-based GP practices
under a single parent organisation.
Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning
Group, which oversees the provision of GP services in the local area, approved the
merger at a public meeting on Thursday 10 June.
Patients can find out more about the merger by visiting the website of their
respective GP practice.
Any person with questions is encouraged to send an email to seniormanager.carfax@nhs.net.
