dulwich primary care centre is closing DR Sarma's practice

[lameduck]

Dr Sarma is retiring, and closing the surgery attached to Dulwich Hospital

he has not told any patients.

He is not leaving the practice with any other GP as Dr Slovick did to him

what are patients to do ?

It is a good practice if you want to see the doctor, you walk in, in the morning

and see him

you are not fended off by receptionists and have to wait 2 weeks to be seen

please voice your opinions now to make sure we DONT lose this valuable service

the surgery should be passed along to another GP who is willing to take on and keep this

excellent surgery running

[Tigres Pride]

Horrified to read this.

Do you know when it's due to close?

I've been with the surgery since the sixties and my family are also with him.

If indeed the surgery closes, what are all the patients supposed to do?

From reading the comments about all the other surgeries in the area, I don't think I would like to sign up with any of them!!!

Surely there must be some Doctor around willing to take over the surgery?

[littleone]

Hi

I am also with this doctor and so is my mother who has been with this doctor for 50 years, and I have been for 29 years. I am horrified to hear that this doctor is going to close this surgey he should pass it on to another doctor as Dr Slovick did to him. If the Dr closes this surgey he is letting down all of his patients. Which he has gained over the years and by advertising in his surgery that new patients are welcome. He is then going to leave his patents hanging.

How can we get this stopped as we need the facility?

Does anyone have any suggestions on how we can save the practice?

Regardes Littleone

[lameduck]

Hi

Tigres pride and littleone

I like you have been with have been with this surgery for 60 odd years

I believe the doctor will shut this down and nobody will know till they turn up sick

and there will be a mad scramble to get sited elsewhere.

and by watching this web

WHO do you sign up with?

Dr Sarma owes it to his faithful patients like us and many of you out there in dulwich and local ares to pass this surgery on to another doctor

[Penguin68]

Unless Dr Sarma is an employed GP it seems very strange that he would not wish to sell his practice on; GP practices are generally treated as an asset. Obviously he rents his premises, but the practice itself will have value. However, if this is a single GP practice there may be issues - since Dr Shipman these have not been encouraged by the NHS. It may be that his continued practice as a singleton was allowed, but that the NHS would not contract again with a single practitioner. In that case he would find it difficult to sell-on (or continue in other's hands) the practice as it stands.

Indeed, it may be that a singleton practice is not allowed to continue as part of the NHS once its GP does retire. In which case upsetting, as this is to current patients, there may be nothing which can be done about it.

[littleone]

hello in answer to penguin68, there is another doctor that practices at this surgery (dr Marks), so it is not a single DR and i am sure there would be another GP that would be willing to take on this very much needed surgery.

[Penguin68]

If Dr Marks is a formal practice partner with Dr Sarma that would be right, but if two doctors (independently of each other) are using the same surgery premises each would be a singleton practice (but co-located). I knew of one large premises (in Kent) where 3 multi-partner practices were co-located - but each practice was run separately (apart from management meetings about premise related issues) and there was no cross-over of patients between practices. Do patients of Dr Sarma see Dr Marks if Dr Sarma is unavailable? If not these may be 2 co-located singleton practices?

[littleone]

Hello Penguin68, Yes Dr sarma patients see Dr Marks if Dr Sarma is not there. also the patients are shared between the 2 Dr's.

[Penguin68]

In which case it is very surprising that there isn't another GP interested in buying into this practice - business loans can be made available to expedite this where the putative GP doesn't have sufficient capital. There are many salaried GPs who would very much like the assurance (and profits) from a GP partnership.

Many GPs would use sale of their practice as part of their pension pot - although some continue to own the practice and employ a salaried GP to undertake the work (the case in some other practices much commented on in the forum).

[lameduck]

Hi All

Dr Marks

has been there for years. he was there in the 80s if not earlier

he used to stand in for Dr Slovick also did Dr Sarma

I hope something can be sorted. I have a large family

sisters their kids and my kids husband etc all with this practice

can any of the other overstretched practises in the area

where you wait days to be seen accomodate all the hundreds possibly 1000s of his patients

[littleone]

hi lameduck, i hope you are right

[KalamityKel]

lameduck how do you know Dr Sarma is retiring and the surgery is closing if patients have not been told? My impression is at present this is nothing but GOSSIP. If nothing has been officially said what will be happening to the surgery to anyone has anyone thought why would that be? Might it be those concerned aware the need for the surgery to continue especially with the future of the hospital always in question.

Perhaps we should wait for more solid information to come through?

[Tigres Pride]

This closure has been confirmed by the staff who say Dr Sarma intends to retire shortly.

Needless to say, they are not happy either.

Phone surgery on 020 8693 1844 if you require further proof.

[lameduck]

Hi Kalamity

I wish it was gossip

I really do

[KalamityKel]

I stress again - nothing has been made official. Surgery staff, rightfully concerned, should not really be discussing this with patients in the openess that they have been.

It has nothing to do with "requiring proof" as I have also heard the rumours. We shouldn't be assuming the surgery is automatically closing.

Plans may be being made. That's all.

[ianr]

> Plans may be being made. That's all.

Things will certainly be going on in the background. AIUI from the NHS policy on branch closure, available at http://www.england.nhs.uk/medical/, if a contractor wishes to close a branch surgery, they have to apply to the NHS Area Team, to whom they are contracted, to do so, and then to be involved in discussions and negotiations with the team.

[Bic Basher]

When my Peckham based surgery closed last year, it was business as usual two days before closing with no indication of the practice closing.

The only notification I received was from NHS Southwark by post that the surgery had closed and that you should find another practice to register with ASAP.

[ianr]

NHS England's role as commissioner of primary care services only dates from April 2013, when the PCTs disappeared.

[KalamityKel]

Please see attached DRAFT letter due to be sent patients shortly.

The PPG (Patient Participant Group) met with NHS reps yesterday after being invited to attend by the surgery. Many had assumed it would be to discuss the rumours currently being circulated with an opportunity for input and helpful information on next steps.

This was sadly not the case. The purpose of the meeting transpired to be purely for the PPG to accept the draft letter before official notification/circulation to patients.

The opportunity to actually do anything about it has long since passed with plans being made to close going further back than anyone had assumed.

I'm surprised local councillors were unaware (or claim to be) that this was in the pipeline.

[loveED86]

oh noo!

I have been a patient of Dr Sarmas all my life and like someone else has said from response to other GPs I have no idea who I would transfer to! nearest would now be melbourne grove but have heard all negative comments!

[KalamityKel]

For anyone interested, particularly patients of the surgery, there will be a meeting held this evening at the surgery 5pm.

Would strongly advise anyone who is free to attend.

[loveED86]

wont be able to attend will be at work, gutted!

kalamitykel-If you are going please can you update us on here

[littleone]

Hello

too little too late not enough warning for meeting, when your working and you cant access these pages till 17.30 just to find that the meeting has been and gone. DISSAPOINTED

[maxxi]

loveED86 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> oh noo!

> I have been a patient of Dr Sarmas all my life and

> like someone else has said from response to other

> GPs I have no idea who I would transfer to!

> nearest would now be melbourne grove but have

> heard all negative comments!

I moved to Dr Sarma BECAUSE Melbourne Grove was so poor (and it really is poor) looks like this is a done deal and we'd all better look elsewhere - I would strongly suggest you give MG a miss.

[lameduck]

have been a patient at this surgery for 60 years

when Dr Slovick first took it on, then doctor Sarma.

Bad show that we have all been let down like this!

lots of us take life preserving medicines.

What GP is going to want to take on all us oldies

with problems?