A group of GPs is set to take over the running of three medical practices in Forth Valley which are currently being managed by NHS Forth Valley. The Practices – Kersiebank in Grangemouth, Hallpark in Sauchie and Bannockburn in Stirling, all came under the management of the Health Board several years ago after a number of GPs left or retired.

The Group, which will be known as Forth Medical Group, has a proven track record in managing GP services and already operate three GP practices in Lanarkshire and two in Ayrshire, providing primary care services to more than 31,000 patients across Central Scotland. They have developed a reputation for high quality, innovative and stable services. As well as providing GP consultations, they will work closely with other healthcare professionals such as advanced nurse practitioners, pharmacists, paramedics, mental health specialists and physiotherapists. They also plan, over time, to introduce a range of other services such as pain clinics and walking groups, tailored to the needs of the local patients.

NHS Forth Valley Associate Medical Director for Primary Care, Dr Stuart Cumming, said: “Transferring the management of these three Practices to GPs is a very positive development which will bring them back into line with the arrangements in place in other Medical Practices across Forth Valley. It will also provide long-term sustainability, continuity of care for local patients and release resources which can be reinvested by the Health Board to develop local services.”

Dr Usman Rehman, Forth Medical Group, said: “We are looking forward to working with the existing staff and other local health and social care professionals to provide a high standard of primary care services to the patient population across the three Practices. We are also keen to explore opportunities to develop new and innovative services tailored to the needs of the local communities.”

The Health Board has always aimed to transfer the three practices back into independent management as soon as possible and undertook an open, competitive tendering exercise which attracted interest from a number of GP groups.

The Forth Medical Group were one of several GP groups which submitted tender bidders for the General Medical Services (GMS) Contract to run the three Practices, which have a combined list size of nearly 22,000 patients. Each bid was assessed against a range of criteria including the quality of future patient services, resilience and sustainability of proposed service and clinical staffing arrangements contract and performance management experience, governance and approach to community-focused multi-agency working.

While all of the tender bids were of a high standard, the Forth Medical Group was identified as the preferred bidder and, subject to the finalisation of the procurement and contract arrangements, the aim is to the new contract in place by March 2020.

The 46 staff currently employed by NHS Forth Valley in the three Practices will be eligible to transfer to work with the new GP group and there will therefore be no job losses as a result of the new contract arrangements.

Additional Information

Forth Medical Group is part of the Lanarkshire Medical Group (LMG) and Ayrshire Medical Group (AMG) which manage three GP Practices in Lanarkshire (Strathaven Medical Practice, Alison Lea Medical Practice and Greenhills Medical Practice) and two in Ayrshire (Three Towns Medical Practice and West Kilbride Medical Practice).