Dear Residents,
Have you heard of the Carr-Hill Formula? It has been brought to our attention by one of Election Candidates, who just happens to be a health care professional, that it is a process of determining how funding levels are allocated to surgeries across the country.
The formula produces per patient weightings that vary very widely between practices, raising objections that such large variation lacks face validity, particularly given how many costs are shared by practices regardless of population characteristics.
Is it any wonder that GP's are reluctant to bring their much needed skills to our area when funding is so pitiful compared to neighbouring districts. Please read on:
The overall constituency picture:
- GP Surgeries across Folkestone and Hythe are at breaking point. Folkestone East Surgery is scheduled to close and 5,000 patients will have no GP.
- Central Surgery in Folkestone was recently inspected by the CQC and was placed in 'special measures' due to unsafe provision of care
- Manor Road Surgery in Folkestone has reported it is operating under 'unsustainable pressures' and may be forced to close - this could result in 7,300 patients having no GP.
- If urgent action is not taken at the highest levels of government, and without the timely collaboration of the MP for Folkestone and Hythe then up to 40,000 patients across the constituency could lose vital GP access, as surgeries across the area close due to ongoing operational pressures.
The inequity of the Carr-Hill Formula considering the higher rates of social deprivation/patient profiles:
- Carr-Hill formula is unequal and does not fairly reflect the higher rates of social deprivation and co-morbid profiles of many living in the constituency. The current Carr-Hill funding for Folkestone and Hythe per patient is £114, whereas the funding for a patient in Ashford is calculated at £191 per patient!
- This unfair unequal funding discrepancy must be urgently addressed, so that patients in Folkestone and Hythe receive increased funding. This is also vital for GP retention in the constituency - it is understandable from their perspective that they would choose to work in areas where they are better resourced, and also were the patient population may not place the same demands on their time and resources.
Our Member of Parliament, Damian Collins has been our representative, our voice in Westminster, for the past seven years. Why hasn't he made representations to the Health Secretary on our behalf to review such a paltry sum as compared to Ashford, upgrading to a similar patient amount?
Is it any wonder that our Surgeries are closing. Is it any wonder that appointment dates with Doctors and Consultants are getting further away. Is it any wonder that constituents opprobrium spills over into this:
PLEASE USE YOUR VOTE WISELY ON JUNE 8TH.
S&DRA
