EXISTING doctors’ surgeries in Somerset could be expanded in the coming years – but building new surgeries to cope with demand could prove more difficult.

The Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is responsible for deciding where NHS funding should be spent in Somerset – including decisions on how many doctors’ surgeries and GPs a given area needs.

A CCG report has shown a rise in the last 12 months of the number of Somerset residents going to hospitals’ accident and emergency departments.

Since this report was published, large numbers of residents have contacted the Local Democracy Reporting Service, claiming the rise in A&E attendance is driven by the inability to get doctors’ appointments due to demand.

So, does Somerset need more doctors – or are there other ways the service can be improved to reduce demand? We spoke to the CCG to find out.

Assessing the need for more surgeries

Health bosses last assessed demand on GPs’ surgeries in 2016, and identified some locations – such as the French Weir Health Centre in Taunton – where existing provision needed to be expanded.

The CCG said projects like this would be needed in the future in light of Somerset’s population both rising and ageing.

A spokeswoman said: “Approximately 580,000 people live in Somerset and this is growing by around 3,000 every year.

“In addition, one in five of the resident population is now aged over 65, with West Somerset having the highest percentage of people over 65 at 33 per cent of the population.

“Due to this, there is likely to be a need for some new GP surgery buildings and/ or extensions to current buildings, particularly in areas of high housing growth.”

Fighting for funding

New doctors’ surgeries can be provided as part of major new housing developments, with the money coming from house-builders through legal agreements.

But the NHS is having to fight for its share of those contributions against other demands – such as new school places or leisure facilities.

A spokeswoman said: “We work very closely with the planning authorities to make sure that the NHS as a whole is aware of plans for housing developments in Somerset.

“It is very difficult for the NHS to secure developer contributions for health services, as there are many other calls on the available monies, but we always do our best to make a strong case for a proportion of these monies being appropriately allocated to the NHS.”

Expanding existing surgeries

Since securing funding for new practices is difficult, it is more likely that existing surgeries will be expanded instead in the years ahead.

A spokeswoman said: “It is more likely that current GP surgeries will be expanded rather than new ones being commissioned. However, there are likely to be some exceptions to this.

“The relationship between access to GP services and people attending A&E departments is complex and there is no simple solution.”

Around 3 million patients are seen by Somerset GPs each year, with 86 per cent saying the level of care they receive is “good” and 42 per cent of appointments being provided on the same  day as they were requested – which, the CCG claims, “compares well with the national picture”.

Do you really need to see your GP?

The CCG has stated that up to 40 per cent of GP consultations could be handled by other surgery staff or other services such as a community pharmacy.

And while there isn’t a breakdown for Somerset, nationally around 60,000 GP appointments are still being missed every day.

A spokeswoman said: “As a nation we go to the GP surgery much more frequently than we did 30 or even 20 years ago.

“This is not, in itself, a bad thing – particularly if it means that people are

asking for help earlier with potentially life-threatening conditions, such as cancer or depression.

“However, many GP consultations are for issues which will resolve themselves

or which can be managed by patients themselves, often by using products available in community pharmacies.”

The NHS 111 service is designed to assess an individual’s needs and then direct them to the most appropriate service – which may be A&E, a minor injuries unit, their GP or their local pharmacy.

Will I be physically with my GP in the future?

Unlike much of the UK, Somerset has actually managed to increase the number of GPs it hires and retains.

The number of GPs employed across Somerset has risen from 483 in January 2017 to 542 in January 2019 (a rise of just over 12 per cent) – though the CCG admits there are still big regional variations in demand.

To ease the burden on existing doctors, online consultations could soon become a viable alternative to physical appointments.

A spokeswoman said: “We are exploring a range of options for online consultations with our GP surgeries, including Engage Consult and Ask My GP.

“There are many different ways of providing a good GP service which meets the needs of the patients. What is most important to us is that people have their healthcare needs met when they are unwell, or when they are concerned that they may be ill.

“There are some things that are best dealt with in a face to face appointment, but a great number of things can be dealt with in other ways that are often more convenient.”