The Conservative Party has announced plans to 'deliver more health services' across Hazel Grove and the rest of the country. 

Specifically, this would involve the building of 100 new GP surgeries nationally, and the refurbishment of 150 more. Hazel Grove would figure in these plans, it is understood. 

Plans would also include an extension of the Pharmacy First scheme, which means people can access more treatments without seeing a GP first. 

Such treatments could deal with contraception, menopause support, acne, and chest infections. 

The aim is to reduce pressure on GP surgeries. When the Pharmacy First scheme was first rolled out earlier this year, the Government said it would free up 10 million GP appointments by the following year. 

With the promised boost to the scheme, that number would increase to 20 million freed appointments in total, the Conservatives say. 

The scheme is to be funded by reducing the number of NHS managers to pre-pandemic levels, and by cutting spend on management consultancy in the government.

Paul Athans, Conservative general election candidate for Hazel Grove, said: "The NHS is precious to me and to everyone in our area. The pandemic put huge pressure on our NHS services here in Hazel Grove and as we continue with recovery, it is essential that patients receive the care they need, quickly and easily, which is why I was delighted about Pharmacy First."

Paul Athans - Conservative general election candidate for Hazel Grove - and Mary Robinson, Conservative MP for Cheadle who returns as a general election candidate (Image - Conservatives)

He added: "Building on this great success, the Conservatives have announced a clear plan to deliver even more out-of-hospital services across the country by expanding Pharmacy First, build or modernise GP surgeries and invest in new Community Diagnostic Centres.

"We are sticking with the plan to improve access to care and cut NHS waiting lists so that everyone can access the treatment they need, when they need it."

Health secretary Victoria Atkins similarly said: "Pharmacies, GPs and Community Diagnostic Centres are the backbone of our NHS. Because of bold action we have taken, they are more accessible in more places for more people.     

"I know just how important it is for people to have access to health services and treatment close to home - and Pharmacy First and our hundreds of new Community Diagnostic Centres have been a real success story so far. But we must do more.  

"Our clear plan will continue to enable our brilliant pharmacists, GPs and CDCs to do what they do best: serving their local community and boosting capacity in our NHS. We will make the NHS faster, simpler and fairer for all." 

Paul Athans, Conservative general election candidate for Hazel Grove, with health secretary Victoria Atkins (Image - Paul Athans)

However, some GPs have criticised the plans. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said in Pulse: "The only solution to the current crisis in general practice is more GPs – no other healthcare professional can do the complex clinical and leadership work that GPs do.

"We need all the political parties to commit to significant investment and further efforts to increase the GP workforce – to ensure that there are enough GPs to deliver safe timely and appropriate care. Parties need to listen to GPs and patients, and prioritise the future of general practice."

Also in Pulse, Dr Steve Taylor, a GP in Manchester, said: "Given the decline in provision for GP practices over the past 14 years and particularly the past eight years, it's surprising that the Conservatives are suggesting some support for new practices. 

"Over 300 practices have closed, GPs are unemployed, leaving and some practices are handing back contracts."

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting was also critical of the plans, saying: "Labour will train thousands more GPs and cut the red tape that ties up GPs time, so we can bring back the family doctor."

The Liberal Democrats have also pledged to recruit 8,000 new GPs; "half by boosting recruitment, including more opportunities for junior doctors and increasing training facilities [and] half from incentivising more experienced GPs and nurses who've left the NHS to return", the party says.

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