Public transport could route past new Weston Super Mare GPs
North Somerset Council has said it would be "unacceptable" to have a new surgery "marooned" on the edge of town
We're told local transport could re-route past a new GP surgery planned in Weston Super Mare.
Plans will formally be submitted next month for a surgery on Weston Rugby Club's Sunnyside Road site, which would be redeveloped to also feature 200 homes, new sports facilities, shops and a primary school at a cost of £25 million.
When it opens in 2023 the new health centre is set to serve the 11,500 patients currently at the Graham Road surgery which will close, but North Somerset councillors have said it would be unacceptable to have a new health centre “marooned” on the edge of town.
Linda Buczek from One Care, the GP federation supporting practices across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, told a consultation event on August 25: “We’re in touch with Network Rail and local bus companies and community transport providers.
“It’s difficult to talk about specifics as we’re a couple of years away.
"I think it’s positive that there will be a large number of flats there who will also need public transport.
"We will look to the local authority to try and address some of these things.
“You can’t expect the bus companies to say today what bus routes will be available in two years’ time.”
She said some practices operate voluntary car services to pick up and drop off patients, but added project leaders will not be distracted from the existing issues at the “past its sell-by date” Graham Road practice and spoke out about the demands faced by the NHS.
“We’re absolutely aware of the challenges being faced at Graham Road at the moment and in a huge number of practices right across the country," she said.
“It’s probably the most challenging time general practice has ever had.
"We’ve experienced a 30 per cent increase in demand with associated percentage drop of staff availability, particularly GPs, particularly in Weston.
“It’s very challenging to have high demand and a desperate need to support all our patients, with a real struggle to recruit GPs.
“Staff are doing everything they possibly can to address that.
"It’s been raised right up to government level, the concern at the underfunding of general practice across the country, and particularly in areas like Weston with the deprivation levels you have."
Ms Buzcek said the practice’s “absolute priority” was to improve healthcare and the new building at Weston Rugby Club would allow them to do it.