A local man, Nick Bryant, has got in touch with Oakham Nub News to share his concerns about the "struggling" local GP provisions and issues faced by staff and users of Oakham Medical Practice.

Nick asked: "With the state of local GP practice at a low point, do we know if Oakham Medical Practice has ever held/recently held discussions with local or national government in relation to a second GP practice or expanding the current one to cope with the (ever) growing numbers of patients?

"Oakham has been struggling with GP provision for sometime. Who requests additional GP provision? Who funds GP provision Where does the request go?"

This follows historic complaints about the local medical provisions from Rutland residents, with one local lady asking "Who exactly does Oakham Medical Practice answer to?"

Shortly after, the practice were given an Inadequate rating by the Care Quality Commission, but responded positively, adding that "the CQC acknowledged the positive way in which we deal with and work with our patients, involving them in decisions about their care. We hope that this will offer some assurance to our patients of our commitment to provide them with safe, effective, responsive, well-led and caring services."

However, this has not reassured the many concerned residents, headed by Nick Bryant here, who advocate an expansion of the "struggling" GP provisions that are "at a low point".

The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board have responded to Nick's concerns, adding: "The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (LLR ICB) is responsible for making decisions regarding any expansion of primary care services, which are the services provided in GP practices. A decision to expand services needs to be evidenced by local need, based on significant population growth. This means that such decisions also require the involvement of the relevant local authority. 

"Rutland's Strategic Plan, developed jointly between the ICB and Rutland County Council, includes a commitment over the next five years to ensuring that health and social services are fit for purpose and meet the needs of local people; this will include responding to any planned future growth in local housing.

"In relation to Oakham, Oakham Medical Practice is taking steps to increase clinical space in order to accommodate their expanding clinical team. We are currently working with the practice and with Rutland County Council on a proposal to convert an underused waiting room area at the practice into two clinical treatment rooms, which would enable more patients to be seen. Once this proposal is approved the work could take place quite quickly, within a couple of months."

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