I have been following your correspondence about the situation with our GP surgeries.  In my capacity as chairman of the borough council’s health liaison panel I have also been investigating the situation.  It appears that Epsom & Ewell is not the only area to be suffering. 

A survey was recently undertaken by the British Medical Association and nearly half the UK’s GP practices responded.  It revealed doctors struggling to provide essential services in buildings that are cramped and outdated.  It was reported that 2 in 5 responding GPs do not consider their current premises to be adequate for the provision of basic general practice services.

 Problems arise both because of the increase in the number of patients and because premises requirements change over time, particularly with the current Government’s drive to move more services out of hospitals into the community.

I contacted both NHS England and the Head of Primary Care at the Surrey & Sussex Area Team (which is the body responsible for approving GP premises locally). 

I have been told that since 1 April 2013 only GP premises schemes with previous primary care trust board approval have been able to be progressed.

I also understand from NHS England that all NHS England Area Teams were asked not to approve any new GP development requests in 2013/14 until proposed Single Operating Model Policies were released. 

It is good to hear that policies will be designed to support an equitable approach to the prioritization of GP premises.

However it is very unfortunate that, now in 2014/15, these policies are still awaited and hence no new schemes have been approved.

In view of the responses I received I have now written to the Secretary of State seeking assurance that work to resolve this situation is proceeding as a matter of urgency.

Liz Frost

RA Councillor

Woodcote Ward

 


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