Dorchester, Dorset: GPs Surgeries Under Threat; Primary Care Commissioning Strategy and Plan; West Dorset

Primary Care Commissioning Strategy and Plan (pdf) - read the report

Regardless of Party politics, this is an issue of concern to everyone. It also comes on top of the plans for changes in the county's hospital provision.

You can sign online - http://www.west-dorset-libdems.org.uk/your_gp_surgery_is_under_threat


"Your GP Surgery is Under Threat"

From the LibDem website:

"Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are considering a strategy document that is proposing a drastic reduction in the number of what they call “sites delivering Primary Care” or what we call GP’s Surgeries. You can read the report here.

Page 34 concerns Mid Dorset including Dorchester and envisages a reduction in GP locations from 11 at present to between 4-6.

Page 35 concerns North Dorset including Sherborne and envisages a reduction in GP locations from 14 at present to between 3-8.

Page 37 concerns West Dorset and envisages a reduction in GP locations from 8 at present to between 3-5.

These reductions are shockingly large and will effect thousands of local residents and yet the Dorset CCG are not proposing to consult the public about this report at all.

The public have the right to know about this proposal and should have the right to have a say before any definite decision is taken" - http://www.west-dorset-libdems.org.uk/your_gp_surgery_is_under_threat

This is the wording that the leaflet suggests that residents might wish to sign:
"I/We call on the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group to fully consult the public on their proposals to drastically reduce the number of GP surgeries contained in the report Primary Care and Commissioning Strategy and Plan 2016-2021".


Read other postings about the hospital and community hub plans - here and here


Extracts from the Primary Care (GP Strategy and  Plan:

"The age profile of Dorset is older than the England average, around 17% of the population are over 70 (vs. England average of 12%). The population over 70 is expected to grow four times faster than the growth rate of the total Dorset population, and by 2023 one in every five Dorset residents will be over 70 (an increase of 30% between 2013 and 2023). At the same time, the core working age population (20–59) is expected to decline by about 1% while children and young people below the age of 20 are expected to grow by 7%. Children and young people under the age of 20 years make up for 21% of the population and account for about a quarter of a typical GP’s workload".

Rationalised Estate

"In order to support new models of care delivered in local areas we require larger, more accessible, modernised Primary Care centres. To achieve this we need to transform our existing General Practice estate. Around 40% of our current estate is modern and fit for purpose; 10% will require major investment to provide modern health care. As Primary Care transforms to deliver new systems of care, a large proportion of the existing estate is not likely to be required in its current configuration".

Potential for Delivery of Primary care 

" There is the potential for a single Primary Care collaboration to deliver all service to the population, through a reduced number of locations, possibly through the delivery of services as spokes from a Dorchester based hub. Alternatively there is there is the possibility for a strengthened federative or super-practice model to deliver all Primary Care services and, in partnership with other local providers, all Community based services. At scale delivery of Primary Care could potentially be delivered from 4-6 locations". 

Mid Dorset Primary Care Blueprint

"Mid Dorset Locality has eight GP practices across eleven locations serving a registered population of approximately 43,843. 21.6% of the population are aged 65-84 years; and 3.7% of the population are aged 85 years and over (Dorset figures are 20.3% and 3.8% respectively). Mid Dorset has a balance of town centre practices, along with practices that serve a semi-rural/rural population. Mid Dorset has a better average percentage than the England average for smoking related deaths and levels of adult obesity. Rates of sexually transmitted infections and TB are better than average but new cases of malignant melanoma is worse than average. All of the General Practices are members of a federation and have started looking at delivery of current acute services in the community jointly with the Dorset County Hospital and Dorset Healthcare".

Existing Infrastructure


"There are currently 8 general practices working across 11 sites"

"Potential for Delivery of Primary Care at Scale, for localities to consider There is the potential for one group of General Practices to deliver services to the population covered by this blueprint, through a reduced number of locations, either via a strengthened federation, network of practices or super-practice. One possible model is to deliver all urgent primary care services from a single hub location building on the Community Hub model under development at Bridport. At scale delivery of Primary Care could potentially be delivered from 3-5 locations".

Wessex Change Programme

"In Dorset, to achieve the change in organisational form required, we will support groups of practices working together to deliver Primary Care at Scale".


A critical campaigner's viewpoint on the NHS funding crisis and the CCG strategies:

Video, Dr. Jon Orrell talk  (Dorchester, 14 January 2017)

Dorset Echo Report