FUTURE HEALTH CARE IN CORSHAM AND BOX

Health care provision is changing very rapidly. The doctors, nurses and staff at the surgery in Corsham have always tried to provide the best service we possibly can and wish to continue to do so. The increasing role of Primary Health Care and the enlarging population, have resulted in real difficulties with the size and facilities at the surgery, even though it is a relatively new building. The surgery in Box has similar problems, as do many doctors’ surgeries elsewhere.

Everyone is likely to be aware that larger Primary Care Centres with enhanced facilities are felt to facilitate high quality, comprehensive modern health care. The recent Pathways for Change consultation by the Primary Care Trust (PCT) has resulted in those potential benefits being promoted in many parts of Wiltshire.

Both the Porch Surgery in Corsham and the surgery in Box have approached the PCT looking for help with solutions to their space and facilities problems. Neither surgery is in a position to allow sufficient expansion to cope with the increasing population and the potential of new local facilities. At the PCT’s suggestion, the two surgeries have recently started some discussions about ways of expanding the local health care facilities available.

One of the potential solutions is to consider a joint surgery which could provide a much wider range of services in ways that could be similar to developments in Malmesbury or those being considered in Trowbridge. These discussions are at a very early stage and, as yet, no decisions have been reached.