RORY CALLS FOR GREATER SUPPORT TO RURAL GP PRACTICES

Following a visit to Kirkoswald GP surgery, Rory Stewart MP has written to NHS England to press that a bid to expand the practice is given the strongest possible consideration, to ensure the surrounding rural communities can continue to access quality healthcare, as close to home as possible. Rory received a tour of the small practice from Dr Geoff Sharpe & Dr Karen Sharpe, who explained how the surgery met local healthcare needs, and explained the reasons behind their desire to expand. NHS England recently announced that £1 billion is to be invested in GP premises over the next four years, to address long-held concerns over underfunding of General Practice healthcare. Kirkoswald surgery have submitted their own bid for funding, and believe they have a strong case for further support.

Rory Stewart said:

“In an area as rural and sparsely populated as our own, where our communities often have a high proportion of elderly residents in need of healthcare, the importance of small village practices, like Kirkoswald’s, cannot be understated. As our focus rightly shifts back to providing as much care and support to patients as close to home as possible, rural surgeries are a vital asset, and I have repeatedly stressed their importance and value to colleagues and ministers in government. I was only too happy to support Kirkoswald surgery’s bid. They are a great local practice and have a strong case for expanding, to ensure they remain viable and effective for local residents in the long-term.”

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