Cross Border Issues

Due to the retirement of a Doctor at the Meadows Medical Practice in Clun and the lack of a suitable replacement, the practice decided that the Knighton branch would close on 24 December. This decision followed on from a public consultation on the options for the future provision of services to patients registered with the Knighton practice. However, there was nothing in the consultation to suggest that, if that site closed and the practice boundary were re-drawn, that current Welsh patients would be de-registered.

Healthwatch Shropshire has a responsibility to Welsh patients using English services. Once we were alerted to the decision to de-register current Welsh patients we responded immediately. We set out our concerns to NHS England, explaining that this had not been included in the public consultation. As a result we felt that additional engagement was required, or the decision needed to be reviewed. We asked for more reassurance for the future of patients registered with Knighton.

In a press release given by the practice on the 26th September it said that 'All patients currently registered with us will continue to have access to our services from our Clun site for as long as they wish to remain with us and can be assured that everything will be done to ensure a smooth and safe transition occurs. There will be no compulsory deregistration of patients'.