Cllr. BILLY FLYNN – WARD COUNCILLOR NOTES

      CLOSURE OF ADEL SURGERY AND ADEL PHARMACY – 31 MARCH 2021

I hope you are all keeping safe and well. Just two items this month, the closure of the surgery and probable closure of Adel Pharmacy.  This constitutes a real loss for Adel residents.

I attended a meeting of the CCG Primary Care Commissioning Committee on 5 August at which the closure of Adel Surgery on 31 March 2021 was confirmed.  I have learnt since that this will probably mean the closure of the pharmacy which will come as a shock to all of us because this had not been mentioned as a possibility prior to the meeting, quite the reverse in fact.  However, I understand that the current owner wrote to the CCG last February and again in early July emphasising that the Adel site was available for the provision of primary care services for the foreseeable future but if the surgery was closed the terms of the lease would mean the pharmacy would have to close too.  Despite the correspondence above, the potential loss of the pharmacy was not made known to members of the PCCC prior to the meeting.  I pursued the matter following the meeting and the CCG advised me on 10 August that they will take up future pharmacy provision in Adel urgently with NHS England and Community Pharmacy, West Yorkshire.  I have made known my views on the importance of maintaining a pharmacy presence in Adel.

The closure decision did not go through on the nod and was hotly debated for the majority of the meeting with the future of the pharmacy and transport to Alwoodley also discussed at length. Many patients had emphasised the difficulty of getting to Alwoodley Medical Practice by public transport and the CCG are exploring the possibility of an access bus to the surgery with the council and bus companies.  I suspect many of us anticipated the closure decision but it is, nevertheless, still very sad news after so many years.  I fought as hard as I could but was unsuccessful and I am sorry I could not have done more. I sent a letter to the committee as a last throw of the dice and the contents were discussed at considerable length during the meeting. A copy of the letter can be found elsewhere on the Ade Crag website. The surgery closure and potential closure of the pharmacy will be a disaster for Adel and, as I am also a patient at Long Causeway, I feel it as much as most patients. It is the end of an era for Adel residents.

Dr Martin Sutcliffe from the practice also attended the meeting and was clear that collaboration between all the various parties, and particularly patients, would be at the forefront of practice priorities over the next 8 months, right up to the closure. This will ensure that every patient knows well in advance what the future holds for them, whether they intend to stay with Alwoodley which is what Dr Sutcliffe would like or prefer to move to another practice.  The point was made several times during the meeting about the exceptional quality of clinical, nursing and ancillary services provided at both surgeries.

The meeting highlighted yet again the lack of communication between planning officers on Leeds Council and local GP surgeries regarding the impact of new housing developments.  This is something I consistently raise at planning meetings without conspicuous success.  There should be close collaboration between developers, planning officers, Public Health professionals and other interested parties as well as ward councillors, it is to everyone’s mutual advantage.  I have taken this up with the new Director of Public Health for Leeds and hope I will be pushing at an open door.

It is very disappointing news, but I will keep you regularly updated on progress.  If you would like to know more about the CCG meeting and the closures please do get in touch, my contact details are below.

Billy

Cllr. Billy Flynn
Adel & Wharfedale Ward
Email: billy.flynn@leeds.gov.uk    Phone: 0113 2613896 or 07810 640282