A LUXURY care home group has announced a new private GP partnership.

A private GP practice in Canford Cliffs is collaborating with Luxurycare care homes to offer a four-hour clinic at six care homes across Bournemouth.

The first care home to launch the new initiative is Regency Manor Care Home in Lower Parkstone.

Dr Bill Johnson of Haven Medical visits the home in person each week, running a four-hour clinic there every Thursday, with a service including on-the-spot dispensing of medications and drawing of blood for tests, prescriptions and onward referrals to NHS and private healthcare services to speed up diagnostics and treatment.

The service is now set to be rolled out across the rest of the groups' homes in Bournemouth and Poole over the course of the summer.

Carmela Guadalupo, home manager at Regency Manor Care Homes, said: “At Luxurycare we are always looking for ways to innovate and improve what we do so we are really excited about the benefits this pioneering new partnership will bring.

"We are proud to be the first care home in the region to do this – and among the first in the country.”

The new service will also benefit care home staff.

Samantha Hoskins, managing director of Luxurycare, said: “We appreciate that our local GP services are stretched and unfunded through no fault of their own.

"Demographics and needs have changed both locally and nationally which have not been matched by adequate funding from the central government.

"Understandably, this has had an adverse effect on our clients resulting in more hospital admissions. This service is available as a no-cost option to all of our residents regardless of their own funding status.

"With assistance and expertise from Haven Medical, our intention is not only to support our residents and team but also go back to the traditional GP visits that were previously the backbone of our much loved social care sector.”

Dr Richard Azzawi White, clinical director at Haven Medical, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with such a forward-thinking and revolutionary care provider in the south. 

"As Luxurycare are meeting our costs themselves, this negates the potential administrative burden and ensures that their residents are fully supported."