While we have been running muskuloskeletal therapy services in a number of locations across Oxfordshire for a number of year, the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) re-tendered these services earlier this year.

Unfortunately, Oxford Health was unsuccessful in the tendering process, and the contract was awarded to HealthShare: the service will transfer to them on 1st October. Therefore, Oxfordshire CCG and Healthshare are best placed to comment on future plans for the service.

After the decision was made by Oxfordshire CCG, we also received a request from HealthShare asking whether they could continue to provide these services from various locations across the county. In each case, we assessed this against other demands on the estate.

We have offered HealthShare continuing use of our Wallingford site, and it is our understanding that they will also continue to operate from Bicester, Henley and a variety of primary care sites which are leased from different landlords. In Abingdon and Witney we face significant space pressures and our estate can be put to better use supporting our other patient services on those sites. In Wantage we remain concerned about the risk of re-colonisation of legionella. However, we have initiated discussions with HealthShare to see if they would be happy to provide services from the site given this known risk.

We have written to patients who are affected by this change, and will continue to work hard to minimise any interruption to the care patients receive right up to the transfer of services on 1st October.

If you have any queries about the new service, please email enquiry@healthshareoxfordshire.org.uk. You can also find out more information about Healthshare via their website: www.healthshareoxfordshire.org.uk

If you have tried the above options but still require more information / assistance, you are also welcome to contact patient services at the CCG via email patient.services@oxfordshireccg.nhs.uk or via telephone 0800 052 6088 and a member staff will respond to your query.