Liberal Democrats fight for more GP surgeries across the Borough

At Full Council the Liberal Democrats moved a motion calling on the Conservative Council to prioritise funding for new GP surgeries. The Liberal Democrats are also calling on the Government to release capital and revenue funding for new GP surgeries in Wootton and Wixams and to urgently make progress with schemes agreed in Kempston, Bedford, Great Barford and Biddenham.

At the Executive meeting on 21^st June, the Executive were asked if they would consider innovative Capital Funding Programmes to help with the building of local GP surgeries to increase the GP estate in Bedford Borough and prioritise the urgently needed GP capacity. Since then there have been no solutions forthcoming from the Conservative Mayor.

Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, Councillor Dean Crofts said “GP access is the number one issue for so many residents across the Borough. So it was very frustrating to hear in January that a number of projects that would have improved our GP estate, including in Wixams and Wootton, were now not going to be funded by the ICB.

“This is why we are calling on the Council to look into more innovative ways of providing initial upfront funding for new GP surgeries, so residents can get the health care they need.”

Councillor Sue Abood, who has been actively campaigning to improve the GP surgery building in her own Wootton Ward, said “Wootton residents have been dealing with an undersized and unfit GP surgery for years. Across the Borough residents are struggling to access the primary care services they need which causes backlogs all the way through the health service – something needs to change.”

The Liberal Democrat motion at Full Council was successful, forcing the Conservative Council to look at this again.

If you support a fair deal on health for Bedford Borough, you can join the Liberal Democrat campaign by signing their petition at www.bedfordlibdems.org.uk/petitions/gp-shortage.