There are at least 15,000 people living in Manchester city centre. There are 3 NHS GPs.
Not to worry! David King of the Manchester Primary Healthcare Trust says: “There is only one surgery in the city centre, but there are surgeries close in Collyhurst and Rusholme where lots of people go.”
Who told me I couldn’t register. But wait: “there has been a huge rise in the numbers of people in residential accommodation in the city centre, but that does not mean that demand for GPs has risen.” A population increase of 1,000 to 15,000 in a decade, but no rise in demand, that is amazing Mr King.
How is this possible? “Mr King also argued that many young professionals with a pad in the city were likely to have private healthcare as part of their employment package, or many were registered with a doctor close to their family home where they could return at weekends.” Ah, so I should go visit Newcastle upon Tyne, or go private, I see.
If I sound a little miffed here it’s because I’ve got just been told that I might have a problem with my eyes after an eye test, and I ended up having to beg a tiny place miles away to take me - they actually said they didn’t want me to register with them as they’re struggling already, but the other places they suggested I go to had already refused to let me register.
So now I feel guilty enough to consider going private, which I can’t afford, because I’m a burden on a surgery that already has enough to deal with in a poor part of Manchester without IT people clogging up their waiting room.
Anyway, it seems Mr King is (or has) looked into the situation to check if his bizzare statements are true, so hopefully we’ll get some doctors.
