One in seven GP premises is "not fit for purpose"
According to a survey conducted by the GP magazine, Pulse, 1,092 premises out of more than 7,000 across the UK were below minimum standards. “The problem is getting worse and putting key policies such as moving care into the community in jeopardy”, the survey revealed.
According to the government, the premises were getting better as £1bn was being invested in upgrading GP surgeries, however the survey conducted by Pulse revealed that 1 in 7 GP premises was not fit for purpose.
London was the worst affected area in the UK, with a huge 522 premises deemed as “unfit”. The magazine, Pulse, said that doctors had said they could raise the capital required to build new premises, but NHS bodies could not afford the rent on them.
Jo Haynes, editor of Pulse, said “GP’s want to take on more work from hospitals and to provide more services for patients from their surgeries. But they are being prevented from doing so because the government refuses to invest the comparatively small amount of money to enable primary care organisations to fund new premises”.
For more information read the BBC article