Neil Coyle has been the Labour MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark since 2015. Prior to his election to Parliament, Coyle served as on Southwark Council in various roles relating to social care and inequality.
On 17 July, Coyle met with Dr Ami Kanabar, Chair of Southwark LMC and GP partner at Blackfriars Medical Practice, also present from the practice were Dr Nolwenn Robin, GP Partner and Rene Mehta, Managing Partner. Daniele Serdoz, Director of Primary Care (Interim) and Sam Dowling, Director of Communications and Marketing attended from Londonwide LMCs.
The meeting covered:
Practice premises and Neighbourhood Health Hubs
The GPs said practice buildings needing improvement and expansion, particularly with new Neighbourhood Health Hubs planned. They questioned whether current premises are fit for purpose and called for more investment to support integrated care.
Pressure over Munjaro service confusion
Patient frustration after media coverage of NHS provision of Munjaro in general practice suggested wide availability was also covered. Currently only one of five London ICBs has a commissioned service, leading to unmet expectations and strained GP-patient relations.
ICB relationship amid staffing concerns
The GPs said the ICB is seen as a strong partner, with effective work on HIV and mental health services. However, concerns were raised about staff cuts, warning of lost expertise and reduced support, with frequent changes disrupting ongoing collaboration.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust community care issues
The worsening district nursing services under GSTT was covered, with long delays and staff shortages affecting housebound patients. There were also concerns that hospital-led community care will not effectively assess local needs and resources will be diverted away from where they are needed most, especially under new South East London proposals.
Hospital interface issues and the necessity of GP referrals
While collaboration with hospitals is improving, progress remains slow due to the scale of the organisations. The GPs pointed to inefficiencies such as hospitals redirecting patients to GPs for prescriptions. Additionally, they challenged the notion of “unnecessary referrals,” noting that GPs often lack the specialist insight needed to make alternative decisions. Concerns about the Synnovis pathology system were also covered, including those pre and post-dating the cyber attack.
Effective collaboration
The Child Health Integrated Partnership (CHIP) service was highlighted as a local success story. GPs stated that it is working effectively and serves as a strong example of how Integrated Neighbourhood Teams could operate within the community.