New Radcliffe LIFT Centre
In 2008 Acton Shapiro was appointed by the Redbank Group Practice to provide general consultancy support in the preparation of a bid for a new GP practice to be commissioned by Bury PCT under the Equitable Access Programme.  The bid was successful and the Group then asked us to continue to work with them on:
  • Contract negotiations with the PCT
  • Recruitment and selection of staff
  • Consultation and patient involvement
  • Marketing
  • Development of protocols and procedures
  • Governance arrangements.

The Radcliffe LIFT Centre (RLC) will be a brand new practice to be run by the Redbank Medical Group, which includes Redbank Group Practice and Mile Lane Surgery.  It will be located along with the Redbank Group Practice and two other GP practices within the purpose-built Radcliffe primary care centre (RLC), which will open in April 2009.  This facility will offer a wide range of high-quality health and well-being services to the population of Bury, including GP services, diagnostic tests, urgent treatment, minor surgery, community dentistry and a pharmacy.  The new LIFT premises are purpose-built and provide a huge amount of space and opportunity.  When the RLC opens it will have a zero list and opportunity to grow to 1,000 patients in the first year.

For the longer term it is hoped that the new practice will act as a catalyst to enable Radcliffe GP practices to become an Integrated Care Organisation and form a social enterprise.  A social enterprise is a not-for-profit organisation and it is hoped that it will be possible to bring together the traditional GP services to be established in the new Radcliffe Primary Care Centre), together with community services, such as health visiting, district nursing and the mental health services, and the voluntary sector.  It is also hoped that the relationship with local authority adult and children services will be strengthened.