New private GP practice to open in Duffield

A private GP clinic designed to provide patients with a more personal and accessible service is launching in Duffield, Derbyshire, this spring.

‘Dr James Burns – Private GP’ will provide all the normal GP services plus additional specialist services inhouse, including GP-led, safe weight loss treatments, menopause treatments and continuity of care for long-term health conditions such as diabetes, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr Burns (48) and his team are launching the private practice in response to growing feedback from patients who he says feel that NHS primary care services are increasingly unable to offer long enough consultation times, sufficient personal attention, continuity of care and the speed of access to appointments they would like.

The new venture, in Chapel Street, a first for Duffield, will aim to deal directly with as many follow-on treatments as possible, rather than referring patients back to the NHS.

For example, it will handle things such as venous blood tests, not to be confused with the often inaccurate point-of-care (capillary) blood testing seen on social media and TV advertising. Unlike many private GPs, this service will manage the results and ongoing care. Radiology will also be available.

Appointments, which can be as long as the patient requires, will also be offered at times more suitable to working lifestyles, including lunchtimes, evenings and weekends.

Patients will have access to their private medical record, including consultation notes, prescriptions and results from blood tests and investigations.

Patients will be able to book appointments via an online service or by calling the reception team. They will also be offered free coffee or tea in a very welcoming environment.

Dr Burns, an experienced medical professional of more than 25 years and a specialist in paediatrics, said: “We understand the stress that the NHS has been under for a number of years, so this additional provision in Duffield will hopefully relieve some of that for patients who want a more personal touch.

“They will see the same doctor on every visit and will not be time-limited with consultations. Sometimes people just want to know someone is listening to them. At each appointment the patient will be provided with a clear plan of care.

“Continuity of care is a big thing, particularly for patients with long-term conditions whose preference remains to be seen by a GP. We have noticed that it is becoming more and more scarce in the NHS, through no fault of the medical professionals.”

Dr Burns said that the NHS was also struggling to keep up with the surge in demand for new weight loss treatments – so many patients were sourcing potentially unsafe treatments online without a face-to-face consultation or underpinning blood testing.

Additionally, as an NHS GP who will continue to practice part-time in West Hallam, where he has worked for 17 years, Dr Burns said many women were also suffering unnecessarily because they were unable to get quick enough consultations or treatments for menopause symptoms from the NHS.

“We believe that by offering safe and timely interventions and ongoing monitoring for both weight loss and HRT, we will be answering the call of many people. Importantly, all treatments will be the result of in depth, personal consultations. We are not in the business of selling drugs, we are in the business of providing quality healthcare.”

Patients visiting Dr James Burns – Private GP, at number 3 Chapel Street, will experience a friendly welcome from ‘front-of-house’ business manager Stella Rogers.

Operating hours of the practice will be flexible, based on demand, but will include out-of-hours appointment slots to ensure maximum convenience for patients. Dr Burns has the option of expanding the business to bring in additional GPs depending on the demand.

Consultations, which are booked in a similar way to online restaurant booking, will be offered in 15-minute blocks, which patients can choose to extend.

The booking system will be launched a few weeks prior to opening, which is expected to be in April. Further information and website details will be issued closer to launch.