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Lichfield MP praises local GP practice after awards win

By on 26th June, 2019

The area’s MP has paid tribute to a Lichfield GP practice after it was named regional champion in a health and care awards scheme.

The Westgate Practice won the accolade in the NHS Parliamentary Awards.

Launched in March, the scheme asked MPs to find and nominate those individuals or teams they thought have made the biggest improvements to health services in their constituencies across ten categories.

Having been named champions by senior regional NHS experts, they will now vie with other regional winners from across England for the national award, to be presented at a special ceremony in the Palace of Westminster in July.

Conservative MP for Lichfield Michael Fabricant said: “I know that everyone in the West Midlands will share my delight and pride that the Westgate team has been named regional champion.

“They are representing the thousands of staff and volunteers who work day in, day out across our area to shape, deliver and support health and care services, and we’ll all be backing them to win the national award in July.”

Dr Gulshan Kaul of the Westgate Practice was also nominated for the Health Equalities Award..

Mr Fabricant added:  “I nominated the practice and Dr Kaul for the award as the practice has designed a pathway to enable those people most at risk of being admitted to hospital to stay well.

“Using primary care risk indicators, those living at home with frailty have been identified by the GP practice. Each undergoes holistic assessment in their home and is then signposted to local services, or to a Staying Well Hub with geriatrician, clinical pharmacist, occupational therapist and voluntary and social sector support.

“Reductions in emergency attendances and non-elective admissions are being seen as a direct consequence.

“This is all about keeping people with frailties well and out of hospital. It is a testament to the effectiveness of the NHS.”

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12 Comments

  1. AnnS

    26th June, 2019 at 9:02 am

    Just a pity you can’t get an appointment when it’s needed and not weeks after you’ve become ill.

  2. brian pretty

    26th June, 2019 at 10:13 am

    don’t know how they managed that

  3. Nodge

    26th June, 2019 at 11:47 am

    Haha it’s almost like any news that features El Fab is satire, because I bet a lot of us registered patients of Westgate would beg to differ.

  4. Philip Allso

    26th June, 2019 at 12:51 pm

    @Hodge…. I am a registered patient at Westgate. Luckily I rarely need their services. My wife needs more regular attention for a chronic illness. She has considerable problems with appointments and often sees the practice nurse instead of a doctor. All the doctors there are empathetic and attentive but it is rare to see your own doctor or even the same doctor twice. The growing population of Lichfield clearly puts pressure on many services as attention to these seems to be of no interest to the District Council who endorse a relentless house building regime. Weĺl done to Westgate for their proactive and preventative medicine policy but access to a General Practitioner is still problematic for many. We are well aware of Mr Fabricants self engratiations but I feel other contributors make legitimate points on an issue which is of concern nationwide.

  5. Alan

    26th June, 2019 at 7:41 pm

    I am no longer a patient at Westgate. They refused to renew the prescription for my thyroid condition until I had a review which I could not get an appointment for.
    I am now at a small surgery in Alrewas. Friendly and help.
    This award is a joke!

  6. Fred

    26th June, 2019 at 10:17 pm

    My goodness if the Westgate practice wins an award what does that say about the rest.

  7. Graham Broadbent

    27th June, 2019 at 12:30 am

    It beggars belief are we talking about the same practice the one you find difficult go get an appointment the receptionist I find are most rude and unhelpful.
    Unfortunately the MP for this area probably doesn’t have to use the services of the practice other wise he wouldn’t have nominated them. Going private you don’t have the issues that the less unfortunate people of Lichfield have to get to see a doctor

  8. Flossy

    27th June, 2019 at 10:56 am

    Just read this after waiting 13 mins on phone to get a 10 min appointment in 3 weeks time!!

  9. Ryan Allsopp

    27th June, 2019 at 4:18 pm

    Must be an belated april fools joke

  10. Kay williamson

    27th June, 2019 at 4:35 pm

    This is a joke surely, my husband held on for an hour trying to get an appointment then they offered him 10 July!
    You can never get appointment there, now if you said St Chad’s had won an award I would have agreed well deserved, staff are excellent, always get seen quickly and efficiently.

  11. Darryl Godden

    27th June, 2019 at 6:03 pm

    I think we need to be careful about criticism of Westgate and the sheer numbers they are fielding due to increase demand for NHS services, and the net reduction in funding.

    However, it’s a bitter pill to see Fabricant’s gushing face over these pieces when the Tories have been in power 10 years and NHS waiting times are through the roof and they are begging for additional funds.

  12. Simon

    28th June, 2019 at 7:02 am

    Even putting waiting times and targets aside and accepting that the GP’s are great when you get to see them the interactions with the receptionist (with only one exception) have been truly shocking they have been rude and dismissive. We turned up once to ask about an epi pen for a child and if we needed an appointment to see a GP or would have to goto the hospital and were told at the desk “we’re closed you’ll have to phone tomorrow” no empathy or care whatsoever

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