CONCERNS about GPs in Melksham struggling to cope with the town's growing population were discussed at a meeting with health groups.

Representatives from Wiltshire Health and Care, Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group, GPs, dentists and other clinical professionals met at Melksham Town Hall earlier this month to discuss the future of healthcare provision in the town.

Issues include Giffords, the town's biggest surgery, suspending pre-booked appointments; the fact that the town has only one full-time doctor per 2,043 patients, more than 300 more than the recommended 1,724; and that population numbers have already reached numbers predicted for 2021. Surgeries and dental practices are also struggling to recruit doctors and dentists, and 4,500 patients in the county missed appointments in July alone.

Nick Westbrook, a member of the town's neighbourhood planning team, who organised the meeting, said: "It was very productive and useful in helping to build a better understanding of the issues around the delivery of healthcare services in Melksham, now and in the future.

"However there is still a very long way to go. The real issue is that planners are going hell for leather without taking into account the position that the community is in.

"NHS England is not aware of the huge increase in housing developments in Melksham. The doctors are doing their utmost but they are being told to do the impossible; they are really struggling to cope.

"There have been three housing applications approved, one off Spa Road, one by Sandridge Common and another in Berryfield. That is another 700 houses and none of them are even considering the strain doctors are already under."

At the meeting, GPs from Spa and Giffords confirmed that they were already fully stretched and struggling to recruit doctors to fill vacancies.

The meeting was also told about work across Wiltshire to develop new ways of working through community teams.

Wiltshire commissioners and providers of NHS services said that planning for the future is extremely difficult in light of national funding cuts and staff shortages.

Mr Westbrook added: "It is early days but progress was definitely made."