The Mayflower Medical Centre currently has more than 17,500 patients on its books, with only 3 full-time equivalent GPs. It is no wonder that the practice is clearly overstretched, and understandable that residents of Harwich & Dovercourt are frustrated when they're unable to access an appointment.
For some time now, I have been assisting frustrated patients who have contacted me directly, but it has become imperative that a long-term solution is found, not only to ensure that residents are able to access appointments, but also to support the current GPs.
The GPs, nurses, and all staff at the practice deserve a huge thank you. They are working incredibly hard to manage a huge demand and we need to remember that the kindness of patients and other stakeholders goes a long way towards improving staff morale and staff retention, especially in light of the practice's ever growing patient list.
One solution would be to utilise the underused Minor Injuries Unit at Dovercourt's Fryatt Hospital and I will continue to engage and work with the practice and other local NHS stakeholders to identify and secure a long-term solution.
You can find out more about what I've been doing on this campaign below.
