Date: 25 November 2005
NAGPC CLOSURE
GP Co-operatives have been one of the primary care success stories of the last 20 years with at their peak, over 300 Co-operatives in operation. The NAGPC which has represented and supported co-operatives and promoted quality out of hours patient care, has decided to close.
Dr Mark Reynolds MBE, Chairman of the NAGPC said,
“The introduction of the new GP Contract saw two thirds of Co-operatives disappearing. Services have fragmented significantly with approximately 50% of UK OOH now being delivered by NHS “In house services”. The majority of the rest is delivered by “Co-ops” with some 10%, we understand, delivered by the commercial sector. It has become increasingly difficult for one organisation to both represent and support the needs of these very different and often competing services. Having tried without success to find a viable replacement organisation which had the support of the majority of providers, we have reluctantly concluded that we should close.
I hope that local networks will support the sixty or so thriving Co-ops, OOH Providers and Community Benefit Societies, that are providing high quality care, and that these networks will in time produce a national representational structure which is sorely needed, perhaps now more than ever.
It has been a privilege to work with so many energetic and innovative people over so many years. When and if PCOs divest their provider functions I do hope they will appreciate the enormous advantages the ‘co-op’ sector, whether CLG or CBS, brings to the NHS, and our potential for delivering much more than just out of hours care.”
