Letter: Housing burden on busy GP's practice
I called at the Shifnal surgery for a rare appointment with my GP and was told I could see him in at Priorslee in two weeks time.
Behind me in the long queue at the reception was a lady from Priorslee who had come to Shifnal for her appointment.
I explained to the receptionist that I lived in Shifnal, not Priorslee and would prefer an appointment in Shifnal and not Priorslee, some three miles away where there is no direct bus service from Shifnal.
I left the surgery disappointed and endeavoured, when I got home in Shifnal to get an appointment at the Shifnal surgery using Patient Access but alas there were no appointments available.
I have stressed many times, the insanity of approving up to 1,600 new houses in Shifnal and 1,100 new houses in Priorslee (a population increase of some 7,000 people) having to use the understaffed, overworked and unsuitable existing surgeries.
Now the plan is to provide a new medical centre (well not central) at the extreme northern end of Shifnal town or is this just a bribe and promise again and the 'safeguarded site' to be developed with yet more new housing?
I recall the Labour Party's theme during the 1997 campaign 'Things can only get better' (or cannot get worse) and compared this to trying to get an appointment with my GP!
Peter Hassall
Shifnal
