Reaction to latest press coverage about possible closure of Barlborough NHS Treatment Centre - Infor

Following a number of recent reports in the local media about the possible closure of Barlborough from April 2010, we have received a number of calls from patients worried about how this affects their appointments.  We have also received a number of calls and emails from past patients eager to show their support.

Barlborough NHS Treatment Centre, run by Care UK on behalf of the NHS, opened in 2005 to help reduce waiting lists for orthopaedic procedures such as hip and knee replacements.  

Our current contract to provide this service ends on 31st March 2010 at which point we must legally hand our building back to the local NHS.  Our lead primary care trust, NHS Derbyshire County, is putting a contract out to tender to fairly offer new businesses the chance to bid for the building lease.  Care UK is of course entering this tender process as we are keen to carry on running the Treatment Centre and we should know the outcome by the end of April 2010.

In the meantime, negotiations are being finalised so that we can continue to operate on an interim basis from 1st April whilst the tender process is completed.  As soon as further information is available, we shall post it on this page.

How does this affect my appointment/surgery date?
If you are currently a patient awaiting pre or post operative care/surgery, please be assured that your appointment(s) is safe and still going ahead as planned.

If there is any change to this, our Booking Team will contact you in good time to discuss this with you.  If you have any concerns about your appointment, please do not hesitate to contact our Booking Team on 0333 200 4066.

I want to come to Barlborough but my GP says you are closing so won’t refer me.  What should I do?
It’s business as usual at Barlborough and we are still accepting referrals from GPs as normal.  GP practices have access to the national Choose and Book system where they can see all of our available appointments so will be able to refer you.    

If you have any concerns about booking an appointment at Barlborough, please do not hesitate to contact our Booking Team on 0333 200 4066.

I am a past patient of Barlborough and want to show my support.  What can I do to help?
Many patients have contacted us to offer their support and kind wishes and we have began to compile messages of support to present to the local primary care trusts.  

There are a few ways you can show your support:

• Write to your local newspaper or MP and tell them about your experience at Barlborough

• Post your comments online about Barlborough on NHS Choices or Patient Opinion

• Email kara.dudley@careuk.com and tell us about your experience so that we can post your comments on our website or use it in our patient information.  We can also present your comments to the primary care trusts.

More information
We shall post the latest information we have onto this website to save this page to your favourites and keep checking back for more details.

If you have any further questions about the future of Barlborough NHS Treatment Centre, please do not hesitate to contact us.