Shropdoc staff could face redundancies

Russell Muirhead, chairman of Shropdoc, said the organisation is facing a number of pressures, including on its finances, but would ensure patients still receive the highest levels of care.

He said they would be looking at all options and would be doing everything possible to avoid redundancies, but they could not be ruled out.

A period of individual consultation is due to begin shortly with those employees whose jobs are at risk.

If redundancies are made, the number expected is around six, a total of under two per cent of the workforce, as well as variations to work patterns and roles for around seven staff.

Mr Muirheadchair of Shropdoc, said the service would not be embarking on redundancies unless it was totally necessary to ensure the smooth and continued running of the businessHe said: “No decisions have yet been taken, and will not be made until consultation has been concluded. The recovery plan also includes addressing the shortfall in the cost of out of hours provision with the Clinical Commissioning Groups and the Local Health Board.

“It details even tighter financial controls on expenses, a comprehensive Urgent Care Practitioner programme to develop a sustainable clinical workforce, identification and successful bidding for new services and income streams and emphasising the need for resolution of outstanding contractual negotiations with commissioners.“Both CCGs and the Powys LHB have been very supportive and are continuing to help Shropdoc manage this situation.

“All of these measures will cumulatively contribute to a secure future for Shropdoc.”

The group said the pressures it faces include an increasing workload, patient volumes and complexity/frailty, a reduction in GP availability, a limited primary care nurse pool to recruit from, no significant out of hours contract value increase since 2004, and increased operating costs.

The service has actively sought to introduce measures to narrow the gap between contract income and expenditure including introducing a much tighter expenses and expenditure process.

Shropdoc, which is made up of 270 GP members from Shropshire and Powys, was recently rated as the best in England.

Inspectors from Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the provider as outstanding.

The public body judged the service, which has a patient population of over half a million people in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Powys, as outstanding in the areas of leadership, care and responsiveness for its patients.

It means Shropdoc is just the second provider of out of hours services in England to receive an outstanding rating.