A surgery is at breaking point and in danger of not being able to provide safe care for patients, according to a village GP.
Dr Bhavesh Dhorajwala told the latest meeting of Hethersett Parish Council that continuing development in the village could put patient care at risk.
Dr Bav was commenting on plans for an additional 200 homes in the village over and above those already planned.
“We have serious concerns about the proposed additional 200 houses. We are approaching capacity for being able to offer our patients a safe service. We are approaching the point of having to close our lists,” Dr Bav said.
The Humbleyard Practice, which includes surgeries at Cringleford, Mulbarton and Hethersett has put together projections for the next seven to 10 years. “We are just not going to be able to cope,” Dr Bav added.
The surgery has been meeting with Hethersett district councillors Phil Hardy, Adrian Dearnley and David Bills and others to discuss the future of medical facilities in the village and it is hoped to set-up a patients’ consultation group to give people a chance to air their views.
“We may have to think outside the box as the possibilities of having a new surgery to replace the existing one has been discussed but may not be viable as funding from NHS England would not be sufficient.
“What we have been offered as a surgery would be wholly inadequate to meet patient demands,” Dr Bav said, adding that building a surgery through Private Finance Initiative (PFI) could be the only possible option.
Dr Bav also felt a larger surgery might have difficulty in attracting enough clinicians including doctors and nurses to run the service.
Phil Hardy also re-iterated his opposition to the proposed additional 200 homes.
“We are opposed to the additional 200 homes on environmental grounds and due to inadequate medical facilities,” he said.
Letters are being sent to NHS England and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, expressing serious concern about medical facilities being able to keep up with development in the village.
Parish Council chairman, Adrienne Quinlan, said: “The pressure being put on medical services is a major concern within the village.”
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