FRUSTRATED patients and doctors have admitted health care in Wickford is at crisis point because of the growing population.

Patient participation groups at the Robert Frew Medical Centre, in Silva Island Way, the Shotgate Surgery, in Southend Road, the Wickford Health Centre and the Applewood Surgery, both in Market Road, the Swan Lane Surgery and the London Road Surgery have joined forces to highlight their “deep concerns” to NHS bosses.

The groups, made up of patient volunteers, practice managers and GPs, have written to Andrew Pike, Essex area director for NHS England, to call for urgent action.

Residents in the town currently face an average wait of two weeks when trying to book nonemergency appointments with a doctor or nurse, and longer if they want to see a specific GP.

The letter, which has been seen by the Echo, claims all Wickford practices are “dramatically over-stretched” and cannot cope with proposed new developments.

It states: “This is a growing population and the provision of primary healthcare facilities has simply not risen with it.

“Furthermore, we see no evidence of this being addressed and improved in the future.

“These problems are not going to go away.

“Already some GP practices in the South East have had to close their books to new patients. We do not wish such a crisis to occur in Wickford, but a collision course seems inevitable. We hope our intervention will preempt a complete breakdown in services, which we foresee in the very near future.”

It comes after Mr Pike said current data proves GP provision in Wickford is “sufficient to meet the needs of the local population”.

David Harrison, Ukip councillor for Wickford Park, said: “This statement from the patient participation groups reiterates what myself and others have been saying for some time – not only does Wickford need more doctors, but nearly all of them need new or improved premises.”

Michael Mowe, Tory candidate for Wickford North in next month’s local elections, added: “I think Mr Pike is a bit out of touch with reality. He needs to listen to the GPs and patients because they are the ones on the ground.”

Other candidates standing in Wickford North are Eunice Brockman (Ukip) and Albert Ede (Labour).

New £2m surgery at market site was rejected

AMBITIOUS plans for a new £2million doctors’ surgery on the former Wickford Market site were thrown out earlier this month because of concerns about a lack of parking.

The two-storey facility, which would replace the London Road Surgery, was given outline permission last summer, but Ukip and Labour members of Basildon Council’s planning committee joined forced to turn down detailed plans.

They are in favour of a new practice in Market Road, but have called for extra services, including blood testing and ultrasound scans, to be incorporated.

The new surgery was designed to help ease the burden on health services in Wickford, with a number of new housing developments being built in the town.

Work on the 575-home St Luke’s Park development, on the former Runwell Hospital site, to the north of Wickford, is currently under way.

Residents are also preparing to move into 50 new houses at Beauchamps Place, on Southend Road, a development by Martin Grant Homes.

Basildon Council has given the green light to another 864 homes at various sites around Wickford and the town is earmarked for 2,800 extra properties by 2031, in the borough’s emerging local plan.

The Echo also revealed last month that 900 homes could be built on green belt land around Wick Country Park.

The new estate, which would be a southern extension of the Wick estate, and include shops and a primary school, would be known as Larkswood Park.