County on 'frontline' of GP shortage crises, MPs say

MPs say the GP to patient ratio in Mid and South Essex is the worst in the country

One of the country's "fastest growing counties" is on the frontline when it comes to GP shortage crises, a parliamentary debate has heard.

A group of Essex MPs raised a "lack of funding" for the NHS locally at a Westminster Hall debate on Tuesday.

Witham MP Dame Priti Patel claimed the county paid more tax than it received in government spending.

Health minister Andrew Stephenson said there were "almost 740 more doctors and 1,700 more nurses" than last year.

"We in Essex do not always get our pound of flesh back from the exchequer when it comes to the investment in our public services," Dame Priti said.

Labour's shadow health minister, Abena Oppong-Asare, told the debate there was one GP for every 2281 patients in the region, with staff shortages creating "a vicious cycle".

She said the GP to patient ratio for "Mid and South Essex ICB is worse than anywhere else in the country".

"There are GP shortage crises and Essex is unfortunately on the frontline of this," she added.

'Full to capacity'

Maldon MP Sir John Whittingdale said the county had been underfunded at the same time as a steady population growth citing the building of more than 3,000 homes in his area.

Dame Priti also called for a new health hub in her Witham constituency, telling parliament that "demand for primary care is outstripping supply".

She said people had been waiting decades for a new health centre and that "we must as a government deliver for them".

The "growing" medical centre in Tiptree has more than 12,000 patients on its list and "there are concerns there are too many for one practice to handle", she added.

Dame Priti said she had a letter from the practice explaining "that their clinical rooms are full to capacity" and it my need to consider closing its list to new patients.

Dame Priti Patel told parliament a GP surgery in her constituency has so many patients it was considering closing its list to new ones

Sir John said in his Maldon constituency there were two GP practices with lists in excess of 12,000 patients with buildings "not fit for purpose".

Mr Stephenson responded that bringing GP surgeries together "can be complex" and the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) raised concerns the money available from developers in return for building new homes "may fall short in sustaining the entire development of a new healthcare centre".

Dame Priti said she and Sir John had also received "unprecedented" levels of communications from constituents concerned about the proposals to close St Peter's community hospital in Maldon.

A commons debate on the proposals for St Peter's will take place on Thursday.

The health minister responded that any decision on St Peter's "should be made locally" - but the ICB should "demonstrate improved outcomes for patients".