Local MP, Maria Miller, chaired a cross party meeting between Basingstoke Councillors and Directors at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB), in order to discuss GP and dentistry service provision in the constituency.
Maria said: “Right now, every month, Basingstoke GP surgeries provide around 40,000 patient appointments. In 1995 the average person saw their GP 3.9 times a year. This has risen to 6.5 times by 2021. Such a major increase in demand reminds us that Basingstoke's demographic profile is not typical. We have a rapidly aging population, with more calls on the NHS to provide health care to people in their older years.
“Local Councillors must make sure this almost unique situation and the extra pressure it creates on the NHS is reflected in the new Local Plan, which maps out house building for the coming decade. We must slow down house building to give the NHS time to adapt and accept Basingstoke isn’t the same as most other communities in the UK.
“To make sure this point is really understood, I chaired a cross party meeting of our local Councillors, and Hampshire's ICB, who are responsible for providing GP and Dentistry services in Basingstoke, to discuss this pressure and residents' concerns. Close cooperation and communication between the NHS and our elected representatives is key to ensure a strong local health service that meets the needs of our community.”