Health plans made for Royston's growing population

The committee was shown a report prepared by Dr Gary Howsam, chief clinical improvement officer at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board (ICB).

While most of Hertfordshire’s NHS services are managed by Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB, Royston in the north of the county is unique in being managed by the neighbouring ICB.

Dr Gary Howsam (Image: Newsquest)

Several members from North Herts District Council attended the meeting at County Hall in order to hear about plans for health provision in their area.

The report stated: "There are a number of different organisations from Cambridgeshire, Essex and Hertfordshire that provide health and care services for the people of Royston. This includes a range of community, mental health, primary care and social care services.

"Royston’s catchment falls within two Primary Care Networks (PCNs); Meridian PCN and Granta PCN, serving 108,000 patients from 11 buildings.

"Last year Granta, who already provide services at the Market Hill Surgery, merged with Royston Health Centre. The third GP practice in Royston – Roysia Surgery – forms part of the Meridian PCN. With population growth, it is expected that there will be approximately an additional 7,500 patients requiring primary care services over the next 10 years.

“Around 80 per cent of Royston patients either choose or get referred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, with the remaining 20 per cent receiving their secondary and maternity care at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage.

“With numerous organisations involved in providing health and care services in Royston it is vital that there is effective cross-boundary working to ensure local people get the care they need, at the right time, and as close to home as possible.”

Royston has been earmarked as a population growth area, with a 4.7 per cent rise expected by 2043.

Addressing councillors, Dr Howsam said: “I know conversations around Royston have been going on for an awfully long time, but I think in both the political context and the context that the health service finds itself in terms of workload and workforce challenges, there really is a once in a generation opportunity to reimagine the way we deliver healthcare.

“I think it’s very important we don’t get restricted by our thinking and try and fit a reimagined service into the current constraints…”

Dr Howsam said there had been a high level of engagement from locals, with 1,800 people responding to surveys – representing around one in 20 residents – which gave "some really rich information about what people value."

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Chairman of the committee, Cllr Dee Hart said: “Members have been informed that Royston is experiencing longer waits to access GPs than any other part of the ICP. What can you do to try and improve this going forward?”

Dr Howsam answered that the latest data published in March “doesn’t necessarily bear out that assumption”.

He added: “Access measures and data that’s collected is a really blunt tool, because all it does is tell us the amount of time that’s passed between when a patient's approached a practice asking for an appointment and when that appointment's been delivered.”

Dr Howsam was also asked about plans for an integrated healthcare facility, and said a 'one-stop shop' would be a "huge advantage", but warned that it might be complicated to deliver.