ALMOST a quarter of Swindon’s GP practices are considered to be in a vulnerable state and primary care has been described as unsustainable as strains on healthcare continue to mount.

The comments, from the Executive Nurse at the Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Gill May, come as population growth, reduced investment, staff shortages and increased costs take their toll.

Speaking at a meeting of Swindon Borough Council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Ms May said: “Primary care at the minute is not sustainable.”

Commenting on the state of practices in the Swindon area, she added: “At least six of the 26 GP practices we would deem vulnerable at this moment in terms of their ability to see the people on their registered list and whether they have enough GPs and staff to deliver the service.

“We do know that the public are saying to us that accessing their GP is a problem - we’ve heard that loud and clear and we’re going to do something about it.”

In the CCG’s annual report released last month, the strains were attributed to difficulties in recruiting GPs, Swindon’s rapid expansion and a 7.2 per cent fall in relative investment in primary care.

It said practices were reporting significant financial pressures as their income levels remained static but their expenses ‘rocketed’ in light of the increased complexity of cases they were seeing, rising demand and increasingly stringent inspection requirements.

Now the CCG, who, in cooperation with NHS England are responsible for the planning and commissioning of health care services Swindon, are taking steps to try and improve the situation.

Plans are well underway for the establishment of a not-for-profit cooperative to sit as an umbrella above the independent GP practices – so far 25 out of the 26 have signed up.

The cooperative will be designed to allow practices to operate together at larger scale, sharing management, pooled resources and reducing costs.

The CCG is also looking at ways that nurses, pharmacists and therapists can provide more of the care that is currently provided by overstretched doctors.

A recruitment strategy is being developed to attract newly qualified GPs from areas such as Bristol to fill staffing gaps.

Planning is also underway to ensure that new development areas – Wichelstowe East, Kingsdown, Tadpole Village and the New Eastern Villages for example – have access to new GP services as required.

A spokesman for Swindon CCG said: “Against a well-recognised backdrop of increased workload and rising pressure experienced by primary care throughout England, it is widely accepted that general practice is experiencing significant added pressure at this time.

“Swindon CCG and NHS England are working closely with all GP practices across Swindon to promote Swindon as a good place to work in primary care.

“We are committed to working with local practices and other stakeholders such as the nursing colleges, medical deanery, and Health Education England to progress these plans as quickly as possible.

“Swindon CCG have held three workshops to explore with practices the opportunities afforded by bringing practices together to form a not for profit cooperative. The practices are now working together to develop this further.”