ipswich.gov.uk

Comment

Representation ID: 24893

Received: 24/10/2017

Respondent: NHS England

Number of people: 2

Growth, in terms of housing and employment, is proposed across a wide area and would likely have an impact on future healthcare service provision. This response relates to the impact on primary care services only. Existing GP practices in the area do not have capacity to accommodate significant growth.
In terms of optimal space requirements to encourage a full range of services to be delivered within the community there is an overall capacity deficit, based on weighted patient list sizes¹, within the 16 GP Practices providing services in the area.
Policies should be explicit in that contributions towards healthcare provision will be obtained and the Local Planning Authority will consider a development's sustainability with regard to effective healthcare provision.
Notwithstanding this, there should be a reasonably worded policy within the emerging LDP that indicates a supportive approach from the Local Planning Authority to the improvement, reconfiguration, extension or relocation of existing medical facilities. This positive stance should also be indicated towards assessing those schemes for new
bespoke medical facilities where such facilities are agreed to in writing by the commissioner. New facilities will only be appropriate where they accord with the latest upto-
date NHS England and CCG strategy documents and are subject to the NHS England prioritisation and approval process.