Objection to the Local Plan proposals.

We are the Patient Reference Group of the New Dispensary GP Surgery in Chase Meadow, Warwick.

Our Surgery is located on Chase Meadow in a new building which resulted from the 1994 Local Plan. Medical facilities have been provided for the new residents on the estate, but this is was not a new GP practice. The practice relocated from a building in Castle Street in 2008.

The new modern facilities are most welcomed by both the staff at the practice and patients. However for some patients who reside in central Warwick the practice has become more difficult to access because of the distance from home. The Surgery been reasonably well served by a bus service which we understand only continues with the support from a County Council subsidy. We understand that this service will cease when this subsidy is eventually withdrawn, which is of great concern to the practice and patients alike as without suitable transport links some patients may be unable to get to the Practice.

We have some concerns that the proposed new estates in the current Local Plan proposals could have a similar effect in worsening access to GP services for existing residents. It is essential that any planned growth in population needs to consider the impact on both primary care and hospital services and we would like reassurance that this has been given serious consideration throughout your planning processes.

We are particularly concerned about the impact on Warwick Hospital. As you will be well aware this is located on a congested site in a residential area with big parking problems. We assume that developer funding will be passed to the NHS to build capacity for the increase in our local population, however we cannot physically see how this could be developed on the current site in Warwick. If the South Warwickshire General Hospitals Trust expand it may have to be on the Stratford site and thus Warwick residents will have to travel to Stratford for appointments they currently would have in Warwick.

As a Group we also support campaigns for healthy lifestyles. Your proposals seem to be for garden suburbs where residents will only have the option of travel by car. We appreciate that health can be designed in to new developments but your current concept appear to be flawed.

Monica Fletcher, Chair New Dispensary Surgery Patients Participation, Group , Alder Meadow, Warwick June 2014