ARRANGEMENTS have been finalised in the bid to secure alternate providers for GP services operating out of Moffat and Lockerbie.
In December, current providers Alba Medical Group gave notice on their NHS contract with effect from May 31 2023.
Deputy medical director Dr Grecy Bell yesterday gave an update on the search for their replacement.
She said: “We’ve been advertising for expressions of interest, with a deadline of January 23, very much hoping we can attract a strong range of tenders.”
“Just like the communities served by the contracts, we’re hoping for a good outcome from this process.
“All energies should be directed towards encouraging the strongest range of interest in these contracts, and working to secure the best outcome over the next two weeks.”
A meeting will take place on Monday, January 23, for members of community councils in the areas covered by the contracts who are interested in serving in the scoring process.
Training in the scoring will be provided, and those present will be asked to agree the two people who will serve on the seven-person scoring panel.
Then on Tuesday January 31, all serving members from community councils in areas served by the contracts are invited to attend presentations in Dumfries by any and all bidders. Those present will have an opportunity to discuss the presentations and to help inform the approaches of their representatives who will then fulfil their roles within the formal scoring process.
Dr Bell added: “We’ve aimed to make this process as open as possible, and to enable as much community involvement as we can within the boundaries of the National Procurement Policy.
“We don’t yet know what the outcome will be, with the first stage seeing what expressions of interest are received by January 23.
“Hopefully we will have a strong range of providers interested in taking on these contracts, and that together we see them taken on and fulfilled in a way that best meets the needs of these communities.”
