Concerns remain around the details of the takeover of two Brent GP surgeries by an American company.

Members of Brent Council’s community and wellbeing scrutiny committee quizzed health bosses at a meeting yesterday (Wednesday, March 24) about the decision for Operose Health Ltd to take control of Burnley Medical Practice, in Robson Avenue, and The Wembley Practice, in Chaplin Road.

Operose, a subsidiary of US company Centene, will replace previous service provider AT Medics at 49 sites across London, including the two in Brent.

However, councillors suggested there should be greater scrutiny of the new company’s accounts, while they sought assurance on the consistency of care in the event of any changes.

Cllr Gaynor Lloyd (Lab, Barnhill) said: “I don’t understand on financial standing – Operose’s accounts, they’ve never made less than a million pounds’ loss, their most accounts in February showed a £6.5 million loss.

“I really struggle to understand why a company with those sorts of accounts was seen as financially suitable.”

She also referenced a previous incident involving Operose at Camden Road Surgery, which she said was “run into the ground” and left patients with four weeks to register at a new centre.

Cllr Mary Daly (Lab, Sudbury) said she was “really concerned” by the change of hands, which she described as a “gentlemen’s agreement” between the two parties.

And she urged Brent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to provide a full report to the council so it can properly scrutinise the issues.

Representatives of the CCG explained its role was simply to check and approve the takeover and, provided it was sound, could not refuse it.

Jo Ohlson, chief executive of North-west London CCGs, said it would continue to ensure Operose upholds these standards and, if necessary, “take action”.

She said due diligence, financial standings and “other governance issues” had been addressed and assured the committee that patient data would not be shared outside the UK.

She added there are “absolutely no plans” to close anything on offer at the sites, while there will be “no change in the services being provided nor to the staff providing them”.