SOUTH CHAFFORD councillor Tunde Ojetola rose on the floor of the Thurrock Council chamber to propose a motion for improved health services in Chafford Hundred.
Cllr Ojetola said: “For too long residents of Chafford Hundred have had to manage with one GP [surgery]for the whole community even as more and more houses were built.
“In addition to the expectations Thurrock has already set regarding Primary Care needs, this Council now requests that NHS England and Thurrock CCG consider the introduction of a further GP surgery in Chafford, to meet increasing demand, as part of the Primary Care Strategy work already in progress.”
For those who are interested, the extract of my speech is below:
What is the problem?
Chafford Hundred was built in the early nineties and currently has a population of circa 14,000. The only GP Surgery on the development has 15,000 patients and is approaching capacity.
While I commend the work of the local surgery and its 6 GPs in keeping the list open the fact is that some residents travel outside of the area to visit a GP.
Comparatively, (according to the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC))
• the average patient per GP in England census is 1569 patients per GP;
• the national benchmark is 1758 patients per GP;
• Essex has an average of 1822 patients per GP;
• however Chafford has an average of 2,330 patients per GP (i.e. about 500 patients more than Essex average or almost 600 patients above the national benchmark!)
Why now?
NHS England is developing a national primary care strategy by the end of this year. Feeding into that is the development of the Essex Primary Care Strategy. This Primary Care Strategy is something I understand Thurrock Health and Well-Being Board have taken as a high priority.
In fact a recent report to the HWB board provided them with information and timetable in respect of primary medical services in Thurrock and an update on the production of an Essex wide Primary Care Strategy. So the timing is right.
I am pleased that the HWB have already raised some of the Thurrock residents face with NHS England. These include the lack of GPS in some areas; problems around access; quality of premises; the age profile of GPs and problems around succession planning etc. for example, although Thurrock has 87 GPs, in reality due to working patterns we an average of 42 WTE GPs, leaving a shortfall of 24 WTE. This is added to the fact that 30% of the GPs are over 60! or 53% over 50 years old.
Current plans?
Chafford Councillors have already secured a S106 commitment from the developer building behind Bannatynes to construct a new surgery to NHS specifications (and these plans now have planning permission). Therefore, there will be an adequate building in place for the proposed new GP surgery.
I have also had discussions with Roger Harris (in the Council) and with Chafford Hundred Medical Centre who are keen to get involved in the new practice. I have also written to the Secretary of State for Health and Jackie Doyle Price MP, Thurrock Member of Parliament to tackle this at a high level.
What do you want?
Implore the cross part support of full council for this motion as Thurrock is an important player – especially with the new Health and Well-Being Board – and this is a test of how much influence we can exert on health partners although at the end of the day it will be through NHS funding any developments take place.”
Oh the Irony. We want more because there is more. Come on taxpayers, get your hand in your pocket. Its your duty to fund this.
why not ask for improved health care for grays as a whole,why does ejitola think chafford is a separate entity?.
I wonder if there are elections next year in Chafford and someone is trying to ensure good Conservative pre election publicity? Everything lately is Chafford this Chafford that or Chafford the other. Perhaps the canvass returns are showing they are losing their grip on Chafford (having elected Councillors mocking residents as Chaffricans doesn’t help) so they have gone into political spinning overdrive to make residents believe they are working hard and worthy of voting for?
I think that the comments above are a bit harsh. Cllr Ojetola is elected to represent a Chafford Ward after all and he is highlighting a problem that exists in that ward. Isn’t that what Cllrs are supposed to do? I wish that the Cllr for my ward was being as proactive but, as that would be a certain Mr Kiely, that aint gonna happen.
There is some value in what Ed says. Chafford census data does not necessarily look good for the Tories in the future, in other words its population is looking more like an East London ward rather than an Essex one although there is some way to go before we turn into Barking or Ilford. Luckily I imagine the Tories do well with the African community in Chafford on a local level and having an African councillor is a distinct advantage in a ward which is the most diverse in the whole of Thurrock – 60% White British with the largest African population in Thurrock at 14%. The other 26% is made up of Other White and smaller minorities.
The flip side to this story is what Gray64 has said. Councillors are elected to improve their areas and this is what he is doing. In the same way that all four Chafford councillors were against lifting the weight restriction on Devonshire Road. There is a serious issue with healthcare on Chafford but common sense does not prevail in these issues. There would have been ample room for a new surgery and school on land behind bannatynes, with a pharmacy in Sainsburys next door but half built small flats for transients were the preferred option because there are just not enough flats on Chafford.
I wish Cllr Ojetola luck in his quest.