How will the changes affect patient care and working conditions for staff?
The Modality Partnership based in Birmingham is to take on three GP practices in East Surrey, meaning it could be the GP partnership with the largest geographical area in the country.
The partnership is already one of the largest GP providers in the UK. It covers the sustainability and transformation partnership (STP) areas of the Black Country, Birmingham and Solihull, Humber, Coast and Vale, West Yorkshire and Harrogate and Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West.
Its three new practices, Birchwood Medical, Smallfield Surgery and Townhill Medical, are in the Surrey and East Sussex STP area and cover 35,000 patients.
The move means Modality will work in six STP areas with more than 100 GP partners and covering 300,000 patients.
Modality has also signed a deal to form a partnership with Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Trust to work towards an accountable care system (ACS) over the next five years.
Trust chief executive Toby Lewis said the organisations already work in collaboration. Changes to outpatient services would be considered, he said.
Patients most in need and those with long-term conditions would be focused on, he said, as these are the ones traditional NHS services ‘offer a poor deal to’.
Further information
Health Service Journal: Major GP partnership expands into sixth STP area
Health Service Journal: Hospital trust and GPs sign deal in move towards ACS
Website: Modality Partnership