Publish date: 14 February 2022
Patients of a GP practice in Cramlington are being encouraged to have their say about the proposed relocation of the surgery.
From Wednesday, February 9, people will be able to give feedback, in a number of ways, on the proposed plans to relocate Brockwell Surgery to a new build which will be located in Cramlington on the site of the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital. This is 2.2 miles away from the current surgery site.
Dr Aamir Munir, Executive GP partner, said: “Brockwell Surgery is 30 years old and lacks the space and facilities needed to deliver modern healthcare into the future and for a growing healthcare team. Access to clinical rooms is tight and not designed for disabled access, it is difficult to have sensitive or confidential conversations in the reception area due to lack of space and staff facilities are also very limited.
“Working with other healthcare and local authority colleagues and those from the voluntary sector is crucial to ensure our patients see the right person when they need to and that their care is personalised and joined up. Our current lack of space and facilities restricts us from doing this.”
The relocated surgery would be on the ground floor of Northumbria Healthcare’s new health and education centre of excellence, which is a totally separate building from the emergency hospital and is due to be built by autumn 2023. This would be a fit-for-purpose, high-specification, modern healthcare facility which would enable the practice to provide a full range of integrated primary care services and support.
Dr Munir continued: “We believe that patient care and the patient and staff experience would improve significantly by relocating the surgery. Additional facilities would include a large open reception area with self-check-in, a suite of consulting and treatment rooms, a buggy station, a drinks station, patient IT access and WiFi, children’s play area, baby feeding/changing facilities, an improved digital offer and a large community room for clinics.
Free parking would be provided and there would be several disabled and parent and child parking bays.
“We are also mindful that we need to ensure our patients could easily get to the relocated site. We are working with local partners, including Age UK, to identify alternative transport options so that patients, including those who don’t have their own car, can get to the proposed new site. We are, of course, also considering our elderly, vulnerable and frail patients as part of these discussions.”
Patients and others interested in giving their views on the proposed relocation can do so in a number of ways.
- Complete an online survey: https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90420858/Brockwell-surgery-public-and-patient-survey. This survey will close at midnight on Tuesday 22 March 2022.
- Ask the Brockwell Surgery reception team for a hard copy of the patient survey. This can be filled out anonymously. You do not need to give any personal information if you choose not to. The practice will need your survey back by Tuesday 22 March 2022.
- The practice will also be doing face-to-face surveys with Brockwell Surgery patients during the week commencing Monday 28 February 2022.
- Some patients will be invited to take part in focus groups to be held at the Cramlington Community Hub on Tuesday 1 March 2022.
- Patients and stakeholders are invited to attend one of two drop-in engagement sessions between 2pm and 4pm or 5pm and 7pm on Thursday 17 February 2022 at the Cramlington Community Hub (top floor), Manor Walks Shopping Centre, Cramlington, NE23 6YB. People don’t need to register.
- In addition, Healthwatch Northumberland, the statutory independent consumer champion for patients is holding two online engagement sessions on Monday 21 February 2022 between 6pm and 7pm and Monday 28 February 2022 between 1pm and 2pm.
- People should email Helen Brown at helenb
@healthwatchnorthumberland.co.uk if they wish to attend either of these online sessions and joining instructions will be sent. - People can also contact Healthwatch Northumberland, on 03332 408 468 (local call rate) or emailinfo
@healthwatchnorthumberland.co.uk - Write to the practice management team – Brockwell Surgery, Northumbrian Road, Cramlington, NE23 1XZ – or email them at valensmedical@nhs.net
Dr Munir added: “We’re encouraging all our patients to give their feedback so we can answer any questions and address any concerns that people may have. Improving patient care is at the centre of this proposed relocation as well as being able to enable more partnership working and to recruit and retain members of a diverse and talented team.”
The Brockwell Surgery and site is owned by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which is looking at options for the use of the building if the proposed move goes ahead. This includes the possibility of it being used as a community health resource.
The engagement will run for six weeks and then the GP practice will share feedback with patients and stakeholders as soon as it is in a position to do so.
Further detailed information, including frequently asked questions, is available at www.
Media contact
Cara Charlton, Head of PR, Northumbria Healthcare
Contact cara.