CAMPAIGNERS frustrated at the lack of health services in Didcot are calling for a new minor injuries unit in the town to serve its growing population.
After a short break due to the pandemic, Didcot Against Austerity has re-started its work calling for better services.
With the town’s population rapidly growing, there have been concerns about the lack of progress in getting a promised new GP surgery for expanding Great Western Park.
Read more: Didcot residents 'frustrated' by the lack of progress over getting a GP surgery in GWP
Carol Stavris from the group said: “Didcot is such a big town now and its population is expected to double in size over the next 10 to 15 years.
“We only have three GP surgeries. There doesn’t seem to be any further facilities being built.
The group was created in 2019 when Ms Stavris and group co-founder Marie Walsh realised that children's centres were being closed down, leaving young mothers with no help.
Seeing the town growing and facilities closing down, they set out to campaign for better services.
Ms Stavris added: “We have been really concerned about this. The town keeps growing but it seems that we have less services now. It’s becoming a crisis. The community hospital used to have a minor injuries unit, but not anymore.
“For example, Wallingford has a first aid unit and there is a minor injuries unit in Abingdon, but that is far away.
“The services in Didcot are also used by nine villages around the town. Some of the villages rely on the surgeries in Didcot. It would relieve pressure on A&E if we had a minor injuries unit.
“We have to campaign to tell those making the decisions that services aren’t good enough. They can’t see what we need.
“They cannot just ignore us. In some years we are going to have so much more people in Didcot. We need the facilities here.”
Didcot GP, Rachel Ward, from Woodlands Medical Centre, has said that her surgery has done everything to accommodate a huge number of additional patients, but that now they are struggling with space for staff.
“We use every room at every time of the day," she said. "We have clinics running until 8pm several nights a week, and we are at a stage now that we are constantly hot desking. We have to have multiple doctors in offices doing phone calls and even taking turns to use a room to see patients face to face.”
Didcot Against Austerity is inviting the public to a meeting on April 4, at Didcot's Civil Hall to talk about their experiences trying to access services in the town.
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