Call for New Surgery as Pressure on Dunmow Health Services Grows (Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats)

Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats <info@saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk>

Call for New Surgery as Pressure on Dunmow Health Services Grows

July 3, 2007 10:27 PM

Liberal Democrat councillors Ron Clover and Mark Gayler at John Tasker House surgery in Dunmow

Dunmow Liberal Democrats are calling on the local Primary Care Trust to provide a new doctor's surgery in either Dunmow or one of the surrounding villages.

Dunmow's surgeries are struggling to cope with the growing number of patients, as a result of the new developments, in and around the town. Both surgeries are still taking on new patients as they are still within the Primary Care Trust's formula, but patients are having to wait longer for appointments, as the surgeries struggle to cope with the numbers.

"Both surgeries do a tremendous job for Dunmow," said Cllr Emily Gower. "But the growing local population means that it is becoming more and more difficult to get an appointment. A new surgery, which could be in Dunmow, or the new development at Oakwood Park, would help ease the pressure."

"Uttlesford District Council also needs to take this on board when planning for the future of the town," said Cllr Mark Gayler. "Provision needs to be made for a new surgery in the Local Development Framework plan which will set the Council's future planning policies. Any future development in the area must be contingent upon providing the necessary infrastructure, including increased health provision."

The Liberal Democrats are writing to the Chief Executive of the West Essex Primary Care Trust calling for the Trust to take action to increase the provision of doctor's surgeries in and around Dunmow.