New surgeries a tonic for Birmingham

Mar 4 2008 By Alison Dayani, Birmingham Mail

THREE new GP practices are to open in deprived areas of Birmingham as part of a £3.5 million health drive.

The Department of Health targeted Birmingham's east and north suburbs as in most need of more family doctors and surgeries.

Three new GP surgeries and a health centre are now set to open next April.

Bosses of East and North Birmingham Primary Care Trust, which has been granted the cash windfall for new services, are now in discussions over where to open the new medical centres to make the most difference.

Sophia Christie, chief executive of East and North Birmingham PCT, said: "GPs have a key role to play in improving health and saving lives.

"This is an excellent opportunity to expand local capacity and capability to tackle some of the long-standing issues we have in the area of ill health and early death.

"I am committed to maintaining the traditional strengths of general practice whilst we ensure we also develop new skills and approaches fit for the 21st century and are better able to tackle historic inequalities and ensure patients experience effective and responsive services."

The move is part of a Government campaign to tackle poor provision of GPs in deprived areas with £250 million being pumped into at least 100 new practices and 150 GP-led centres across the country.

It is hoped more patients will behave easier and quicker access to their doctor or nurse.