Infrastructure Delivery Plan (Feb 2013) - Runnymede Borough Council

7.9 The average for England in terms of patients per GP surgery is approximately 6500
(NHS information centre, October 2008) and around the Surrey average for patients
per GP is 1585 (SURREYi.gov.uk). In Runnymede, only 4 of the practices are over the
average surgery size, although 5 of the 9 GP practices have a greater patient to GP
ratio than the Surrey average. This may be indicative of the low number of doctors at a
number of the existing surgeries.
7.10 Specifically, information from SURREYi.gov.uk, and the NHS choices website suggests
that both of the GP practices in Chertsey and the GP practice in Addlestone have
capacity for additional patients and would still be below the Surrey average (in terms of
number of patients per GP). In Virginia Water, Ottershaw, Staines (the part of which
lies within the Borough) and Egham, all of the GP practices have an above average
patient to GP ratio. In Egham, Virginia Water and Staines, the GP practices each have
over 2000 patients per doctor.
7.11 A range of dental practices are provided, predominantly in the Borough’s urban
centres. Community pharmacies and high street optometrists are also located
throughout the Borough. It is noted that availability to both dental practices and
pharmacies is not limited to the geo-political boundary of the Borough. Patients’
requiring these services can obtain them from neighboring Boroughs.
Local Plan
7.12 Local Plan policies LP01 - LP08, confirm where new development is planned to come
forward in the Borough over the plan period. These policies promote development to be
focussed in the Borough’s Urban Areas and at the former DERA site in Longcross
LP08. The Local Plan proposes the provision of at least 161 dwellings per annum, or
2415 to include 1,500 units, plus 80,000 m2 of commercial development (it should be
noted that as discussed earlier in this report, over the plan period 2011 – 2026 there is
the potential for an estimated 4,512 new residential units to be provided in the Borough
within the general locations as set out in Table 8. In addition, RHUL has aspirations to
expand over the plan period. LP05 allows for some growth on campus over the plan
period. Development in all of these areas over the plan period is likely to increase the
number of residents in the Borough potentially using this infrastructure.
7.13 Planned or potential development in all of these areas over the plan period will increase
the number of residents requiring primary healthcare infrastructure. No new GP
practices or other infrastructure are being proposed within the Local Plan to be built
over the plan period. The exception may be the former DERA site, where it is possible
that existing GP practices and provision will be stretched to a level that they are
physically unable to absorb new pressure on capacity.
Future provision
7.14 Surrey has a higher proportion of older people compared with England and North
Surrey has a steadily ageing population; 16.5% (and rising) of the population is over 65
(SURREYi). Continued population growth accompanied with a change in age profile will
present challenges for healthcare provision over the plan period in Runnymede and
impact on primary healthcare services.
7.15 It is a key Government target to make primary care – GPs, opticians, dentists,
pharmacists and community health services – more accessible for patients. The NHS
and Department of Health provide the standard for the number of people to necessitate
a GP. The standard is 1800 patients per GP (across the UK). As noted in paragraph
8.6 above however Surrey has a lower average for patients per GP at 1585 patients
per GP.
7.16 Despite the predicted trends however and despite the generally high patients numbers
per GP already experienced within the Borough (with many practices experiencing
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Runnymede IDP DRAFT – February 2013