Seascale Health Centre

Bootle Surgery

North Cumbria Primary Care

You may have heard of some changes being made to the running of Seascale Health Centre. We would like to explain to you what is happening and why.

Seascale Health Centre has chosen to be one of the first GP practices to join North Cumbria Primary Care, an initiative designed to safeguard the future of GP services in North Cumbria.

North Cumbria Primary Care is part of the NHS led by GPs and built on co-operative principles with the aim to create a network of great general practice working with healthcare partners, voluntary organisations and the University of Central Lancashire in West Cumbria.

North Cumbria Primary Care is a not for profit organisation which means that if we make surpluses they will be reinvested in patient care.

There is a national shortage of GPs and the problem of recruitment is worse in remote and rural areas like ours. Part of the problem is that newly qualified doctors prefer not to have the business responsibilities or the expense of owning a GP practice. North Cumbria Primary Care will take on the business responsibilities leaving our GPs to do the job they are good at, effectively treating their patients.

Four practices in Copeland and Allerdale have already joined North Cumbria Primary Care. We are one of two practices joining in March 2020. Five other practices in Workington and Carlisle are due to transfer in April/May.

We believe that joining North Cumbria Primary Care provides the best solution for our patients, our staff and the long term future of our practice.

We’d like to emphasise we are changing how the practice is managed not what it does. We believe that this represents a very positive opportunity for the patients of Seascale Health Centre and all of the staff who work here.

Please contact Collette Smith if you would like any more information about North Cumbria Primary Care or have any particular concerns about your care.

Date published: 24th March, 2020
Date last updated: 26th March, 2020