Number of patients soar at hard-pressed Crawley GP surgeries

Figures reveal that the worst-hit Crawley practice has seen patient numbers rocket by almost a third in three years.

The practice is Southgate Medical Group in Brighton Road, Crawley, where the number of patients has soared from 7,749 in 2013 to 9,964 in 2016 - an increase of 28.5 per cent.

The figures are revealed at a time when health officials are urging people to stay away from A&E at East Surrey Hospital unless they have a life-threatening condition.

Other Crawley GP surgeries also face growing lists of patients. Saxonbrook Medical Centre in Maidenbower has seen the number of patients registered there grow from 15,311 to 17,148 in 2016 - an increase of 11.9 per cent.

The number of patients registered with Coachman’s Medical Practice in Broadfield has risen from 9,975 in 2013 to 10,702 in 2016 - an increase of 7.2 per cent.

Other Crawley practices are also affected. Patients at Furnace Green Surgery have grown by 3.6 per cent; at Ifield Medical Practice by 3 per cent; and Gossops Green Surgery by 2.2 per cent.

A spokeswoman for NHS England, south east, said: “GP practices are responsible for managing their services in a way that meets the needs of their patients, but we know that general practice, like other parts of the NHS, is under real pressure.”