Residents are invited to find out more about proposals for the Rowans Surgery and give their views at a virtual engagement event on Wednesday 21 September, from 6pm to 7.30pm via Microsoft Teams.
This is the third and final engagement event to be held about the Rowans Surgery.
Please note, this event is later than originally advertised. It was postponed as a mark of respect during the period of mourning for Her Majesty The Queen.
The current GP partners who run the surgery hold a contract with NHS South West London which is due to end on 31 October 2022. This means that important decisions need to be made very soon about how GP services are provided.
Patients at the Rowans surgery will know there have been a number of challenges in recent years. There are longstanding problems with the building – new facilities at Rowan Park are still two to three years away – as well as difficulties recruiting staff.
This has meant that services have needed to be provided from other local practices and now the only GP at the practice has given notice of their resignation.
If the services continue at the Rowans Surgery, the GP partners and local NHS are concerned the issues would impact on patient safety and the quality of care.
Dr Nicola Jones, primary care lead for the NHS in South West London, said: “To ensure clinical safety and high quality care for patients, the best thing to do is to close the doors of the old building and ask people to re-register at neighbouring practices. The three surgeries in East Merton, which are all around one mile away, have said they’re willing and able to take on extra patients. They can offer better care with more doctors available for appointments.
“For a while, some people may have to travel further to get to their practice, until GP services are available again at Rowan Park when the new health centre is ready in two to three years. Extra support will be available to people who need it in the meantime.”
The NHS is talking to local people about proposals to close the practice and ask patients to register with another practice of their choosing. Support would be available to people to help them make the move.
Nearby practices with capacity for new patients include Wide Way Medical Centre, Tamworth House Medical Centre and Figges Marsh Surgery.
At the engagement event, people can find out more about the proposals and ask any questions. It’s also an opportunity to talk about the impacts of the proposed changes, what extra support could be offered, as well as any alternative solutions which might not have considered.
Sessions attended by representatives from NHS South West London and GP partners from the Rowans Surgery have already been held on Tuesday 6 and Thursday 8 September. The final event will take place on:
Wednesday 21 September, 6pm to 7.30pm
Virtual engagement event (via Microsoft Teams)
Email [email protected] to register for sign in details. Alternatively, you can join directly via Microsoft Teams.
This is an updated version of this story. The original was published before the first event.