Health Services

The Surgery, Church End

Under this heading we asked several questions about the current and future health care in the parish. As shown in fig. 15, regarding current healthcare provision, an overwhelming majority wanted better access to NHS dentists. The majority that attend a NHS dentist do so in March, some 10 miles from Parson Drove. However a significant number of those that expressed an opinion on dentists (28%) either didn’t know where to go for a NHS dentist or were unable to register with one.

For every three people that attend a NHS dentist, two go to a private dentist, some travelling as far as London or Sheffield.

There was also a significant proportion that felt that there was (or will be) an increased need for doctors in the parish. This may be linked to the fears raised in relation to housing. A rapid increase in the size of the village may lead to facilities such as the surgery being overstretched.

fig. 15 – Demand for increased healthcare
facilities

At present, the bulk of those that attend cancer screening do so in Kings Lynn, with some travelling to Wisbech. There may be the possibility of some limited screening in a mobile unit that could visit the village, but the feasibility of this has yet to be determined.

There was also strong support for a repeat prescription collection service. This would probably involve one or two points in the parish being set up to collect repeat prescriptions, which could then be collected, en masse, by the surgery. The medication would still have to be collected by individuals from the pharmacy at the surgery, but it would save at least one trip for those that have difficulty getting to the surgery.

Points To Take Forward

• Need for access to NHS dentists
• Possible imminent need for more doctors in the parish
• Possibility of local cancer screening should be investigated
• Setting up of a central repeat prescription service in the parish