Barnet GP Surgeries Face Pressure from New Housing

New housing developments in High Barnet and New Barnet are expected to add more than 2,000 residents to the local population. However, local groups have expressed concern that health authorities are not increasing capacity at already busy GP surgeries to meet this demand.

Within a two-kilometre radius of these developments, three out of five general practitioner practices operate with fewer doctors than the British Medical Association recommends. John Dix, a campaigner with Save New Barnet, stated that assurances previously given by developers regarding GP capacity for new housing have proven to be misleading and have not been fulfilled.

Read Next in Barnet Press3 min read

Railway Bell pub in New Barnet earns five‑star hygiene rating

Barnet Council inspectors awarded the East Barnet Road venue the top score, now visible on the Scores On The Doors platform.

Misleading Assurances and Shelved Plans

Despite the lack of plans to expand GP practices, developers have continued to suggest that local surgeries are accepting new patients and have some spare capacity. Mr Dix told The Barnet Society that current statistics on patient-to-GP ratios do not support these claims. He believes the failure of the integrated care board for north London to provide clear responses highlights a wider issue with health authorities not addressing the increased demand from housing redevelopment.

When planning permission was granted for nearly 500 flats at the former gas works site in New Barnet, residents were informed of proposals to merge three nearby surgeries into a combined practice at East Barnet Health Centre. Mr Dix has discovered that this original plan, which included increasing the number of doctors and enlarging the health centre at an estimated cost of £1.4 million, appears to have been shelved. The integrated care board has disputed that a merger proposal involving The Addington, The Village, and East Barnet Health Centre surgeries ever existed.

The developers Fairview had offered retail space in the Park Quarter development for a new GP surgery, but this was deemed unsuitable. The integrated care board stated it did not receive the necessary funding to expand East Barnet Health Centre. Consequently, the Park Quarter development will add over 1,000 new residents without any additional GP services, according to Mr Dix.

Berkeley Homes acknowledged the GP shortfall when seeking approval for 80 new homes adjacent to Park Quarter. Their consultants advised Barnet Council to increase GP capacity using community infrastructure levy funds, but no action has been observed, The Barnet Society reported.

Broader Impact on Barnet's Health Infrastructure

A similar situation is anticipated in High Barnet, where major housing projects could introduce nearly 600 new homes. These include 145 homes on Moxon Street, 115 at Whalebones in Wood Street, and 328 at High Barnet tube station. A potential High Court challenge is still possible against the Deputy Mayor of London's approval of five blocks of flats on the station car park and adjacent land. Consultants for Transport for London's subsidiary, Places for London, relied on similar developer assurances, stating that five GP surgeries within two kilometres were accepting new patients and that increased demand could be offset by community infrastructure levy contributions from Barnet Council.

Mr Dix believes the integrated care board and Barnet Council are focusing resources on primary care facilities for developments at Brent Cross and Colindale, neglecting the cumulative impact of smaller developments across High Barnet and New Barnet on existing GP services. The integrated care board has stated it regularly reviews local primary care capacity and is open to expanding services at East Barnet Health Centre if funding becomes available. With the new draft London Plan requiring 32,730 new homes in Barnet, there are significant concerns about whether health infrastructure, including hospital beds, will be adequate to meet future demand.

Current GP Workload Statistics

General Practice Workforce statistics from June highlight the current strain on GP services at the five surgeries mentioned by developers. The British Medical Association recommends one full-time equivalent qualified GP per 1,800 patients. At The Old Court House Surgery in Wood Street, there are 10,239 patients and 5.2 full-time equivalent qualified doctors, resulting in a patient-to-GP ratio of 2,420. Longrove Surgery has a ratio of 1,793 patients per GP. The Village Surgery has a ratio of 2,016 patients per GP, and Addington Medical Centre has a ratio of 2,842 patients per GP. East Barnet Health Centre has a patient-to-GP ratio of 1,859.