Plans for private takeover of GP surgery halted

It comes after a report found NHS Sussex had broken procurement rules

A private company's takeover of a community-run, not-for-profit GP surgery in Brighton has been paused, following local opposition.

Wellsbourne Healthcare Community Interest Company (CIC) currently runs the Whitehawk surgery, but there was a possibility of it being handed over to Leeds-based One Medical Group when the NHS started procuring a new contract.

NHS Sussex said it is now considering its options, after campaigners said it would be an "absolute travesty" to lose an "effective and well-loved" surgery.

One Medical Group said it was disappointed and that the process was being restarted.

"As a family-led and family-focused organisation, we were excited to deliver our community centred proposal which invested in the local population and teams," it added.

Wellsbourne Healthcare CIC welcomed the move.

"We hope this decision marks a step towards a more stable future, one that recognises the value of relationships, continuity, and listens to the voice of this community," it said in a statement.

'Strong public feedback'

Chris Ward, Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, hailed the move as a "victory", having started a petition - Save Wellsbourne Healthcare - which got more than 4,000 signatures.

"I'm so proud of our community for standing up and fighting back against the threat of a private provider replacing Wellsbourne," he said.

The potential takeover was stopped following a report by the Independent Patient Choice and Procurement Panel found that NHS Sussex had broken procurement rules.

The trust added that it had also taken into account "strong public feedback" in recent weeks.

"Our ambition has always been to ensure that there is the best possible GP services offered to the local residents in this area of the city," said Amy Galea, chief integration and primary care officer at NHS Sussex.

"We will now... see how best to achieve this," she added.

Ms Galea said that the GP surgery will continue to run as normal.

The Whitehawk GP surgery, which lies within one of the most deprived areas in Sussex, serves around 8,300 people, according to NHS Sussex.