'No change for patients': NHS Trust to terminate contract with Leighton Road Surgery in June

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"This will not impact you at all" is the message to the community as the East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) confirms that it will terminate its service contract with Leighton Road Surgery at the end of June.

Rumours of this news were circulating on social media yesterday (January 20), with fears for its potential closure – and with only two other surgeries to serve a town of around 50,000 people.

Councillor Emma Holland-Lindsay, chair of Central Bedfordshire Council's Health Scrutiny Committee (Leighton-Linslade South ward) described residents as "deeply worried" and needing "urgent reassurance" – and she wrote to both the Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (BLMK ICB) and the ELFT asking for an explanation.

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In a statement released today (January 21) the BLMK ICB said: "We can confirm that GP services will continue to be provided by Dr Mohit Venkataram and Dr Vaishali Ashar from the Leighton Road Surgery, as usual.

Leighton Road Surgery (Grovebury Road site). Image: Google Maps.Leighton Road Surgery (Grovebury Road site). Image: Google Maps.
Leighton Road Surgery (Grovebury Road site). Image: Google Maps.

"The current contract for Leighton Road Surgery is managed by Dr Venkataram and Dr Ashar, with back-office functions provided by ELFT."

Dr Venkataram and Dr Ashar have confirmed that they will continue to run the contract for Leighton Road Surgery, "working closely with the ICB to deliver the contract".

The BLMK ICB told the LBO: "[As of July] the doctors in Leighton Buzzard will manage everything – front and back office.

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"It will be managed by Dr Venkataram and Dr Ashar’s practice. The big message for Leighton Buzzard residents is this will not impact them at all."

It is said that patients will see "no change in the running of the practice" and will continue to access GP services, and see the same GPs and practice staff "as usual".

The BLMK ICB continued: "Dr Venkataram and Dr Ashar will work with ELFT to arrange a suitable handover period and staff will be transferred over to their direct employment."

However, outside of Leighton Buzzard, other surgeries in Bedfordshire could also be losing contracts.

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The BLMK ICB added: "The ELFT has notified the ICB of its intention to end their primary care general practice contracts in Bedfordshire and Luton from Monday, June 30."

If you would like further information, please email: [email protected].

The LBO contacted the ELFT to see if it would like to issue a statement itself, but it declined.

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