11/5/2007

Letters

Barracks site minitown needs its own surgery

These are my comments on the recent report in the News of May 4 ‘Vital need for a new surgery’. Dr Steven King says he would “love to stay here” (at the Richmond Surgery), but claims this is not possible. However, I understand a candidate in the local elections was told that the second storey of Richmond Surgery could be extended, but the practice would be unable to pay the increased rent. This begs the question of how the practice could afford the very large building suggested at Stillers Farm. The above person also confirmed from his canvassing that the move of Richmond Surgery was worrying many people.

The proposal seems to be driven by the primary care trust wanting to increase the present six-doctor practice to nine doctors should the Queen Elizabeth Barracks minitown go ahead. The right way to cope with the minitown is to provide a new practice on that site. Even the planners should be able to find the land there and the Community Campaign Hart (CCH) is pressing for adequate infrastructure, such as a new surgery, at the barracks site. I repeat that the north side of Fleet has two surgeries and our side of the town also needs two to cope with burgeoning population.

The proposal by someone to drive a private bus to the Stillers Lane site is well-meaning, but impractical. Patients have enough difficulty arranging an appointment time without the complication of fixing the private bus time to and from the surgery. Many older people cannot drive and this will only increase with the ageing population. Stillers Farm is not even in Church Crookham, but in Ewshot and the nearest a public bus goes is half a mile away.

I and many people have never heard of the patient consultative group quoted by Dr King. In any event, there is a gathering protest and doctors should recall the protests a few years ago at the proposal to relocate the surgery at Bourley Road.

I think the idea of extending Richmond Surgery services is good in principle, but we are being offered a fait accompli. Clearly the existing local businesses at Stillers Farm are very concerned and have not been properly consulted.

In summary, full consultation with all concerned is needed. The extension of the existing second storey Richmond Surgery building must be fully explored. The primary care trust, Hart District Council planners and the CCH should be involved now in locating a new surgery site at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks site.

R Rose
The Bourne
Fleet

First printed in: Aldershot News and Mail