NHS Fife search to find GP contractors to take on two busy surgeries - and why it will run into next year

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The search is on to finds new GP contractors to take over the running of two surgeries which have merged in Fife.

NHS Fife and Fife Health and Social Care Partnership have been running Kennoway Medical Practice since October 2023 when the previous GP partners were unable to continue providing general medical services. The organisations have also managed Methilhaven Surgery since August 2022, when it moved from the previous its site on Methilhaven Road to Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital.

Now, it is offering both as a combined practice and opened the door to GP contractors to submit tenders - but it will be early in 2025 before any change of management is out in place.

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The aim of the tender process is to attract new GP contractors for the practices with the clinical staffing resources to provide the good standard of service that patients expect and deserve. Those interested in taking over the general medical services contract are being invited to submit a detailed proposal outlining how they would intend to deliver services for patients at both practices.

Methilhaven Surgery's temporary premises at Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital in Buckhaven (Pic: NHS Fife)Methilhaven Surgery's temporary premises at Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital in Buckhaven (Pic: NHS Fife)
Methilhaven Surgery's temporary premises at Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital in Buckhaven (Pic: NHS Fife)

Once received, a thorough process of assessment and evaluation will be completed for each submission early next year, with any future GP contractors expected to deliver services from both Kennoway Health Centre, and a branch surgery at Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital. The preferred proposal must then be approved by the NHS Fife Board.

A patient information hub has been created on the NHS Fife website at: www.nhsfife.org/generalmedicalservices where there are answers to a number of frequently asked questions.

NHS Fife said the process of tendering contracts similar approaches in Fife which saw four other practices return to independent contractor status. The process of engaging with the staff in each practice has begun, and NHS Fife is also contacting patients to keep them informed.

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Dr Christopher McKenna, NHS Fife Medical Director, said: “We know how important it is that people in Fife have access to good quality local medical services.

“Both Methilhaven Surgery and Kennoway Medical Practice have been run by NHS Fife and the Fife Health and Social Partnership for some time, allowing us to prepare these practices to return independent contractor status. This process of making the service available via a tender process has successfully enabled us to source new GP contractors for a number of other practices in Fife in recent years, and we hope to do likewise at Methilhaven and Kennoway.

“Patients at these practices should be assured that if new management is not found through this process then we will ensure people still have continued and uninterrupted access to appropriate local medical services.

“Any parties seeking to take over the running of any of the practices will have to demonstrate that they have the clinical staffing resources to provide patients with a good level of service.

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“The process of tendering the contract to provide general medical services will take a number of months to complete, and we are committed to ensuring that patients are kept up to date with any developments throughout.”

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