Jackie Doyle-Price congratulates Basildon hospital for improved performance and calls for improvements in local GP services

Date :    20^th December 2013

From:   Jackie Doyle-Price Member of Parliament for Thurrock

 

Jackie Doyle-Price congratulates Basildon hospital for improved performance and calls for improvements in local GP services

 

Under provision of GP services in Thurrock is causing excess pressure on Basildon hospital and makes it difficult for local people to get appointments when they need them says Jackie Doyle-Price.

“The average number of patients per GP across the country is 1600, but here in Thurrock the GP patient ration is 1:2000 in some places.  This is not about money, we are simply not attracting GPs to come and work here and we have too many single GP practices which need to be expanded.  This means that patients find it more difficult to get appointments and are more likely to present themselves at A&E.  It is therefore not surprising that Basildon Hospital finds it difficult to cope with demand.  The Department of Health and NHS England need to do more to ensure that all areas of the country are adequately served by GP services.

I am pleased that Basildon Hospital is now achieving material improvements.  In particular, recruiting permanent staff rather than relying on more expensive temporary staff is making a real difference.  However, it makes it more challenging for the hospital to improve if it is having to cope with additional demand due to the weaknesses in GP services

The NHS needs to do much more to tackle weak GP services, and that includes paying more to GPs who come to work in areas like Thurrock where there is under-provision and health inequalities.  My constituents deserve as good health provision as anyone else in the country and at the moment they are not getting it.  We need to grasp the nettle of paying less to those who work in leafy affluent areas and more to those who work in areas where more GPs are needed”.

END

Notes to Editors

Jackie can be contacted by 01268 200430 – 0207 219 7171 or mark.coxshall@parliament.uk

 

           

Mark Coxshall

 

Office of Jackie Doyle Price and Stephen Metcalfe

Members of Parliament for Thurrock and South Basildon & East Thurrock

 

Office:                  01268 200430

Westminster:    0207 219 7171

Mobile:                07850 005630