High Oak SurgeryThe Covid-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges to health services across the country, as well as locally in Brockmoor and Pensnett to work in new and different ways to support and care for patients.
For this reason, last year at the end of March the High Oak GP Surgery was transferred to the Brierley Hill Health and Social Care Centre, with the surgery’s High Street site being transformed into a Respiratory Assessment Centre for Covid-19 patients.
An increase in remote GP consultations and access to out-of-hospital Covid-19 support for our local community through the assessment centre over the last 15 months or so has been positively welcomed by many of our service users. It has been recognised though, that some patients and carers over this period have found it a challenge to access GP services at the Brierley Hill Centre and their concerns have been noted.
At the end of June 2021, the Covid-19 services which are currently being delivered from the High Street will come to a close. However, given the presence of the Covid-19 Delta variant and the possibility that the Assessment Centre may need to resume if cases increase, it is important to note that the High Oak Surgery will not immediately be returning to the site on Pensnett High Street.
A period of reflection and learning over the coming months will take place to consider with our local community, where best to locate the High Oak Surgery for the foreseeable future. This will also include a public consultation in early autumn.
In the meantime however, we will shortly be undertaking a listening exercise with the local community to help with the planning of future services and the public consultation.
Through this engagement programme, we will:
- ask our local community to identify key health and wellbeing issues which matter to them most,
- understand experiences of service users in relation to accessing GP services remotely and from the Brierley Hill Health Centre since April 2020, and
- explore the potential impacts of any changes to the location of GP services which may be proposed.
Information about how you can provide your input and have your say through a questionnaire and events will be communicated via the High Oak Surgery website and social media channels.
For more information, please email dihc.contactus@nhs.net or call 01384 465447