AM WARNS OF RISK TO GP SERVICES FROM NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

Mick Antoniw, Assembly Member for Pontypridd has warned that access to a GP in Llantwit Fardre will be made more difficult should a proposed housing development at Ystrad Barwig Isaf, Llantwit Fardre, be given the go-ahead.

A new application to build 440 homes and a school on the site has been submitted by the developer following the rejection of a similar application, which was refused by Welsh Government, following an independent review by the Planning Inspectorate in 2017.  Mick Antoniw is supporting local residents who are opposing the new application.

Mick Antoniw, who also campaigned against the original development said:

“There are a number of reasons for opposing this development.  It is unsustainable in terms of flood risk and transport infrastructure, but I am increasingly concerned about the threat to local services and in particular GP services.  This development is likely to generate around a 1000 additional patients, which represents an increase of 6% for the local Parc Canol surgery, which already has a capacity shortfall of 300 appointments per week.

“The challenges around healthcare capacity are complex, but it is absolutely clear that new housing developments play a significant role.  As the local Assembly Member, my responsibility is to represent the interests of all constituents who will be affected by this development and I do not believe that a sustainable decision can be made without the voice of healthcare providers being properly heard.”

Sarah Moore, Practice Manager at the Parc Canol Group in Llantwit Fardre said:

“We work hard to minimise waiting times for our 17,500 patients, but it is clear that  a further significant increase in patient numbers would worsen access for both existing and new patients.  The waiting time for a routine appointment is currently four weeks this would certainly deteriorate.  We are also struggling for space in our existing surgery sites and a significant increase in patient numbers would place further pressure on space unless we are able to expand.”

“I’m also concerned about the impact on waiting time for patients with routine problems to be investigated.  GPs would have no additional time to deal with the administration of test results, secondary care referrals, private medical reports so all of these would take longer than at present to process.”

Mick Antoniw added:

“I have campaigned for GP surgeries to be a statutory consultee within the planning process and this case demonstrates just how important it is to engage these key service providers.   People need homes, but they must be sustainable and not detrimental to the wellbeing of existing local people and there’s no service that’s more important to residents than access to their local GP.”

You can download Mick Antoniw’s consultation submission here.