HC Deb 03 May 2000 vol 349 cc161-3W
Mr. Peter Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by constituency the(a) GP surgeries, (b) dental practices, (c) pharmacies and (d) cottage hospitals serving rural communities in Shropshire which (i) closed and (ii) opened (1) between 1979 to 1997 and (2) since May 1997. [118550]

Yvette Cooper

The information requested is not available by constituency for general practitioner surgeries, cottage hospitals and pharmacies—the figures for Shropshire as a whole are available. Information for dental practices is listed by constituency but is only available for the earlier period between January 1988 and April 1997.

1979–1997

GP Surgeries

There were no main surgery closures during this period, although a small number of branch surgeries or outlying consulting facilities did close. A new main GP surgery opened in Telford.

Dental practices
Period between Jan 1988 to Apr 1997
Constituency Practice closed Practice opened
Ludlow 2 1
North Shropshire 1 6
Shrewsbury and Atcham 5 3
Telford 2 4
The Wrekin 1 2
Total 11 16

Dental practices may include not only those in the General Dental Service but also practices for the Emergency Dental Service and Personal Dental Service. Some closures and openings are for the same location where the practice has reopened under a different name. Also, a number of dental practices did cease to treat some or all of their patients as National Health Service patients during this period.

Cottage Hospitals

The following eight cottage hospitals closed during the period 1979–1997:

  • Broseley Hospital
  • Wellington Cottage Hospital
  • Ellesmere Cottage Hospital
  • Much Wenlock Cottage Hospital
  • Oswestry and District Hospital
  • Market Drayton Cottage Hospital
  • Newport Hospital
  • Whitchurch Cottage Hospital.

During this period, the following hospitals were also closed:

  • Wrekin Hospital (geriatric unit, but GP maternity inpatient service remains)
  • Crosshouses (geriatric unit—currently used as NHS trust offices)
  • The Beeches (geriatric unit—now an independent sector nursing home)
  • Monkmoor (geriatric unit).

Pharmacies

During the period 1979–1997, three pharmacies closed.

May 1997 to date

GP Surgeries

There have been no GP surgery closures since May 1997. One new surgery in Telford has opened which is a personal medical services pilot project.

Dental practices
Period between May 1997 to Jan 2000
Constituency Practice closed Practice opened
Ludlow 0 2
North Shropshire 1 1
Shrewsbury and Atcham 0 4
Telford 1 2
The Wrekin 0 4
Total 2 13

Many of the opening practices have been due to investing in dentistry and personal dental service schemes.

Cottage Hospitals

There have been no cottage hospital closures since May 1997. Extensive development is taking place at Bridgnorth Community Hospital.

Pharmacies

There have been two community pharmacy closures and one pharmacy opening since May 1997.

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