LETTER: Make better use of surgeries

I have no axe to grind, don’t use any of the surgeries in the proposal, I don’t live in Broadbridge Heath, the alterations won’t really affect me, they may cause delays to my travel occasionally in the car or more crowding on the buses.

I do care about the patients at the surgeries under threat, this should be the focus of the people pushing for these changes.

How anyone can really think such an idea makes sense is beyond belief. Apart from the total waste of money when local resources are available reducing the number of surgeries in central Horsham to one will cause people, often elderly and mums with children, babies and buggies to travel on buses to Broadbrige Heath in all weathers when unwell is beyond understanding.

The extra people that will move into the Broadbridge Heath estates will be almost certainly in the younger age group. They will have at least one car in the family and therefore will be able to travel with very little difficulty and the numbers travelling from Broadbridge Heath to existing surgeries will be far less than those that must travel to the new Broadbridge Heath surgery following the closures.

Why not save some tax payers’ money by making use of the existing GP surgeries in this area? Having looked into Southwater surgery I have found it has the capacity for 15,000 patients - the existing number of patients is less than 8,000. There is plenty of room to add more services as required and Southwater is within easy travelling distance of Broadbridge Heath.

The three surgeries being closed no doubt also have plenty of capacity.

If the results of past public consultations are anything to go by it is certain that this proposal will go ahead no matter how insane.

I hope all you voters remember how well your public servants treat you when it comes to the next election.

THOMAS SHEATH

Roundstone Park, Southwater