Patient Update Proposed Changes to Clover Group

Proposed Changes to the Clover Group Practice Boundary

We would like your views

The proposal in brief

Clover Group would like to change the area from which Darnall and Highgate accept new patients. The proposed boundary would be centered on Darnall and Tinsley, closer to the two practice sites where most patients are seen.

What does this mean for patients?

•    New patients would normally need to live inside the proposed inner boundary to register with Darnall or Highgate.
•    Most existing patients would remain registered as they are now.
•    Around 283 existing patients live outside the proposed outer boundary. They could remain registered, but would no longer be eligible for home visits from Clover Group and would be encouraged to register with a practice nearer home.
•    Mulberry Practice would not be affected by this proposal.

Nothing has been decided yet

We are asking patients and local communities for their views before any change is made.

Who would be affected?

Most patients would not need to do anything. Clover Group estimates that 283 patients out of a list of 15,028 live outside the proposed outer boundary. Most of these patients live in the S8 area and may have remained registered after Jordanthorpe Practice closed.

If you are one of the patients affected

You would not automatically be removed from the practice list. Clover Group would write to you. You could remain registered, but you would no longer be eligible for home visits from Clover Group and would be encouraged to register with a practice closer to where you live.

What would not change?

Mulberry Practice

The proposal would not affect Mulberry Practice. Mulberry would continue to accept eligible asylum seekers and refugees living anywhere in Sheffield, in line with its commissioned service.

Why are we proposing this?

Clover Group's current boundary covers nearly all of Sheffield, but routine appointments for patients registered at Highgate or Darnall are now provided at:

•    Darnall Primary Care Centre, 290 Main Road, Darnall
•    Highgate, Tinsley

Due to how people now register online with practice, some people register without realising how far they may need to travel. This can become a problem when they need a face-to-face appointment or a home visit.

The current boundary

The purple area on the map shows the current boundary. It covers most of Sheffield. The yellow markers show the current Clover Group sites.

 
Map 1. Current Clover Group boundary

How did the boundary become so large?

When the service was commissioned in 2015, Clover Group brought together four practices that had previously experienced difficulties:

•    Darnall
•    Highgate in Tinsley
•    Jordanthorpe
•    Mulberry Practice, a citywide service for asylum seekers and refugees

Jordanthorpe Practice closed in 2021 with the agreement of the local NHS commissioner. Clover Group now provides services from Darnall, Highgate and Mulberry, but the older, wider boundary has remained in place.

Why a more local boundary may help

Care closer to home

Patients are usually better served by a practice that works with the same local community teams as the area where they live. These may include district nurses, health visitors and other neighbourhood services.

Easier access to appointments

Clover Group's face-to-face services for most registered patients are based in Darnall and Tinsley. Evening appointments are currently available at Darnall five days a week and at Skye Edge one day a week. A local boundary makes it less likely that someone will register and later find the journey difficult.

More time for patient care

Long journeys for home visits mean a clinician is away from the practice for longer. A more local boundary would reduce travel time and help protect appointment capacity for other patients.

Working with neighbourhood services

More health services are being planned around neighbourhood areas. A clearer local boundary would help Clover Group work with the teams serving Darnall and Tinsley.

Why does the boundary matter?

While the current boundary remains in place, Clover Group generally cannot refuse a registration from someone who lives within it. The proposed change is intended to prevent people registering without understanding the distance to the practice.

The proposed area

The maps on the following pages show the proposed inner and outer boundaries. They are planning maps and are intended to help patients understand the proposal.

Proposed boundary: overview

The highlighted area shows the proposed smaller boundary around Darnall and Tinsley. The yellow markers show the practice locations.

Map 2. High-level view of the proposed boundary

Proposed boundary: detailed view

The red line is the proposed inner boundary. New patients would normally need to live inside this line to register. The green line is the proposed outer boundary for existing patients and home visits.

Map 3. Detailed view of the proposed inner and outer boundaries

Choice of local practices

Patients in Darnall and Highgate would continue to have a choice of GP practices, including:

•    North Darnall Practice
•    Darnall Hall, part of Steel City General Practice
•    Dr Okorie's Practice in Tinsley

People elsewhere in Sheffield would continue to have access to GP registration through the boundaries of other practices. Clover City Practice also has a citywide boundary.

Timelines

What happens when will be impacted by what you tell us. It may not happen at all. However, no change happen before April 2027 but is more likely to happen in Summer.

Share your views

Please tell us what you think about the proposed boundary change. You may wish to comment on:

•    whether you support the proposal
•    how the proposed boundary could affect you or someone you care for
•    any questions or concerns you would like us to consider

How to respond

Respond through survey to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NC8Z6XF

CLOSING DATE -30th November 2026

Thank you for taking the time to share your views.

Published on 21st Oct 2026