Patients to have say on location of Dudley GP surgery

Patients who live in and around Pensnett, will be given the chance to offer their opinions on whether they want a GP surgery to remain at High Oaks in Brierley Hill or return to Pensnett High Street.

The discussion, which will take the shape of a scrutiny exercise involving residents and pharmacists from across Brockmoor and Pensnett, was agreed at the Dudley Council Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee on Monday.

It followed a discussion on High Oak Surgery in Brierley Hill, which currently acts as the GP surgery for residents in Pensnett, having been moved there at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic to allow for the Pensnett Respiratory Assessment Centre (PRAC) to be set up on the High Street site.

Following the closure of the PRAC in June 2021, a limited range of services were taken to the High Street, but the main services have remained at High Oak, with councillors urging a return to Pensnett for GP services due to concerns over poor access to facilities because of poor bus links and other travel concerns.

Richard Bramble, joint medical director at Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust (DIHC), spoke about the consultation the trust had carried out with residents around Pensnett through an online survey and asked for views from the councillors in attendance about the next steps.

All three ward councillors for Brockmoor and Pensnett were in attendance, with councillors Rebekkah Collins and Judy Foster sitting as part of the meeting and Councillor Sue Greenaway sitting as a member of the public.

Councillor Greenaway spoke first during the public forum, stating that the closure had not been fully communicated with residents and mentioning the petition organised by the ward councillors.

She also spoke about the issues with parking and transport and said that residents, in the long run, would want to see a new, state-of-the-art GP surgery with pharmacy and other services.

Councillor Collins also made reference to a lack of communication with residents around the surgery, and spoke about how residents had gone to the urgent care centre at Russell's Hall Hospital instead of going to Brierley Hill.

She made a recommendation to the board for DIHC to have a consultation that would reach every person in the community, including people who didn't have the internet or were unable to attend face-to-face consultations.

Councillor Foster echoed the sentiments of Councillor Collins and asked about why the relocation was agreed when population data showed a large number of people with mobility issues who would struggle to get to appointments in Brierley Hill.

She also spoke about the need to move to a suitable location in Pensnett as part of a regeneration of the area, and asked for a scrutiny exercise to be set up to include members of the public in any discussion, as well as independent expert witnesses.

On behalf of the DIHC, Mr Bramble said he agreed with the points raised, but said there was the issue of what was in the gift of the core commissioning groups and DIHC to provide a suite of services for areas.

He did say that the regeneration work for the area was important, noting that he drove through Pensnett regularly and saw the number of empty shops, and said he would like to be working with the council on regeneration.

The chair of the committee, Councillor Matt Rogers, set up for DIHC to feed back at the next health and adult social care scrutiny committee meeting on May 5 and also agreed for the scrutiny exercise to take place.