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Elderly residents turned away from local surgery
December 1, 2004 12:00 AM
Local MP Paul Burstow has contacted local health bosses after receiving concerns from Cheam residents finding it impossible to get onto GPs lists at their nearest surgery.
Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, has received letters from elderly constituents highlighting extreme difficulties faced when attempting to change GPs to a nearer, more convenient, surgery. The problems appear particularly bad for those living in sheltered housing.
Mr Burstow has written to local Health boss Ian Ayres to highlight his concerns, and ask what measures can be taken to ensure that residents who have mobility difficulties are able to register with a GP closer to home.
A survey conducted by Paul Burstow last year showed that 1 in 3 London surgeries were unable to take on new patients.
Paul Burstow said:
"The Government is promising to force GPs to take on more and more patients, yet many are already overburdened and overworked. Minister's failure to deliver on healthcare is stopping the people who most need the services of a doctor from getting them. Unless GPs are given the resources and the freedom to do their job, more and more people will be unable to become patients at their local surgery.
"It is appalling that those affected by closed GP lists are some of the most vulnerable in society. Health problems may be ignored and trips to the doctor postponed because of the difficulties in getting to the surgery. It is time that Ministers woke up to the inability of thousands of people across London to get the right services, at the right time, in the right place."
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