Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border praised the team at Cumbria Health on Call (CHoC), which has recently taken over management of the Upper Eden Medical Practice with locations in Kirkby Stephen and Tebay.
The practice, echoing both local and national trends, has been hampered by GP recruitment problems which has led to CHoC taking charge for a year, until suitable long-term provisions can be made.
This follows other steps from CHoC which has successfully assumed managerial responsibilities for local practices such as those in Alston, Glenridding and Goodly Dale. Much like with these examples, CHoC will be providing Upper Eden Medical Practice with support from their diverse clinical workforce as well as managerial oversight to make sure Upper Eden GPs can focus on caring for their patients.
Dr Hudson has championed local services in rural areas where centralisation and poor transport has left remote towns and villages without adequate access to healthcare, education or other public services. Moreover, having spoken with CHoC bosses, the Cumbrian MP will continue to investigate how innovative new primary care models can be rolled out across rural parts of the UK.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
"Here in rural Cumbria local public services are so vital to life, so I once again congratulate CHoC on all they are doing to rejuvenate our towns and villages with a stellar service.
"Despite the Government's £2 billion investment in GPs over the last two years, constituents continue to write to me with difficulties accessing GP appointments. This is rarely the case with CHoC practices though, and I've found their innovative primary care model has been a real success for patients across Cumbria.
"I will continue to support local and public services as best I can, and work with CHoC, the NHS and other local health stakeholders to find models and best practices for keeping us all fit and healthy no matter how remote our homes may be."
CHoC are a not-for-profit social enterprise organisation providing primary health care services in and out of hours from 17 clinical sites and one central hub across Cumbria and Bentham in North Yorkshire.
The organisation stressed to Upper Eden patients that normal service will continue in the short term and any changes will be made clear via their usual communication channels.
