Great Western Park: Didcot surgery delay leaves GPs struggling to cope

Dr Rachel Ward says her surgery has been forced to move some services due to a lack of space

A GP says her surgery is "bursting at the seams" as a new one promised for a 3,500-home estate 14 years ago has yet to be built.

Residents moved into Great Western Park in Didcot about 10 years ago after permission was granted in 2008.

Dr Rachel Ward, who works at the town's Woodlands Medical Centre, said her surgery has had to move some services due to a lack of space.

Health bosses have vowed the new surgery will open by 2025.

It is due to be built on land already allocated at Great Western Park.

'Get into strife'

Dr Ward said when she started work in 2018 they had 10,000 patients but that has now rocketed to 17,500.

"We're trying to keep up with the growth and recruiting more but we're at the stage now where we're bursting at the seams when it comes to physical space to house the doctors and nurses to run these clinics," she said.

It has had to move its sexual health unit to accommodate other staff.

"We will start to see that more and more. When we simply don't have enough rooms for GPs to do clinics then we really do get into strife," Dr Ward added.

An Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group spokesperson said it remained "committed" along with Vale of White Horse District Council to the new surgery on the estate.

"We need to work closely with the council as there are still a number of processes to go through but we would hope the new surgery building would open its door to patients by 2025 at the latest," they said.