Fears over lack of GPs
Thursday, 2nd August 2001.
UP TO £100,000 may be given to help a hard-pressed doctors’ practose amid growing fears over the shortage of GPs in Haverhill.
The town’s rising population has prompted two meetings to discuss healthcare for new residents.
Haverhill Town Council is to write to the West Suffolk Borders Primary Care Group (PCG) asking what it can do to help attract more doctors to the town.
The PCE has already agreed to allocate the cash for improvements and extensions at the Clements surgery in the hope it will encourage more doctors to work there. One of the two practise doctors, Dr Carolyn Platt, will be left on her own when Dr Robert Wheelan leaves next month.
The PCG meeting at Newmarket agreed to use the money, some of which is intended to improve disabled access to surgeries.
Dr John Polkinhorn, a member of the PCG, said: “It’s a critical situation at the moment and this practise looks at if it may be going to the wall.”
Ana Selby, chief executive of the PCG said: “It’s quite a desperate situation in terms of a three doctor practise which is down to one in whit is quite a needy area. What’s not going to go away is the fact that we don’t have enough doctors’ in Haverhill.
Dr Andrew Cornish, chairman of the PCG said plans for a new surgery at Hanchett Enf – originally linked with the Clement’s surgery – had not been lost. The PCG was working witj a “new private partner” to try to maintain interest in the scheme.
Dr Cornish attended a meeting of the Town Council's Finance and General Purposes Committee, where the issue of the shortage of doctors was raised.
One suggestion put forward at the meeting was the possibility of asking St Edmundsbury Borough Council to create key worker status for doctors, so that they got a house as an incentive to come to Haverhill.
It was also suggested that a Countryside Agency community services grant might be available towards the cost of improving the Clements surgery
Meanwhile, Richard Spring MP met with Ana Selby, the chief executive of the West Suffolk Borders Primary Care Group (PCG), to talk about the future of GP services in the town and the GP shortages.
Mrs Selby said: "We will be looking at how we provide services for those coming into the town as Haverhill grows."
"We are already taking action in terms of developing plans with other agencies and health staff in how we provide services in the future."
The town’s rising population has prompted two meetings to discuss healthcare for new residents.
Haverhill Town Council is to write to the West Suffolk Borders Primary Care Group (PCG) asking what it can do to help attract more doctors to the town.
The PCE has already agreed to allocate the cash for improvements and extensions at the Clements surgery in the hope it will encourage more doctors to work there. One of the two practise doctors, Dr Carolyn Platt, will be left on her own when Dr Robert Wheelan leaves next month.
The PCG meeting at Newmarket agreed to use the money, some of which is intended to improve disabled access to surgeries.
Dr John Polkinhorn, a member of the PCG, said: “It’s a critical situation at the moment and this practise looks at if it may be going to the wall.”
Ana Selby, chief executive of the PCG said: “It’s quite a desperate situation in terms of a three doctor practise which is down to one in whit is quite a needy area. What’s not going to go away is the fact that we don’t have enough doctors’ in Haverhill.
Dr Andrew Cornish, chairman of the PCG said plans for a new surgery at Hanchett Enf – originally linked with the Clement’s surgery – had not been lost. The PCG was working witj a “new private partner” to try to maintain interest in the scheme.
Dr Cornish attended a meeting of the Town Council's Finance and General Purposes Committee, where the issue of the shortage of doctors was raised.
One suggestion put forward at the meeting was the possibility of asking St Edmundsbury Borough Council to create key worker status for doctors, so that they got a house as an incentive to come to Haverhill.
It was also suggested that a Countryside Agency community services grant might be available towards the cost of improving the Clements surgery
Meanwhile, Richard Spring MP met with Ana Selby, the chief executive of the West Suffolk Borders Primary Care Group (PCG), to talk about the future of GP services in the town and the GP shortages.
Mrs Selby said: "We will be looking at how we provide services for those coming into the town as Haverhill grows."
"We are already taking action in terms of developing plans with other agencies and health staff in how we provide services in the future."
Comment on this story
[board listing] [login] [register]
You must be logged in to post messages. (login now)