Has Havering’s Population Outgrown Its GP Surgeries?

As many more people move into Havering and new housing developments continue to emerge across the borough, many residents are asking an increasingly important question: has investment in GP services kept pace with population growth?

Access to a GP remains one of the biggest concerns raised by readers of The Havering Daily. Whether it is struggling to secure an appointment, long telephone queues or increasing waiting times, many residents feel that accessing primary healthcare has become more difficult than it was a decade ago.

The figures paint an interesting picture.

Havering’s GP-registered population now stands at 301,849 patients, according to the borough’s latest Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. That is more than 25,000 higher than Havering’s resident population because some patients living outside the borough are registered with Havering practices.

Across the borough there are currently around 36 to 38 GP practices, depending on whether branch surgeries are counted separately. Havering Health, the borough’s GP Federation, states it works with 38 member GP practices caring for a growing registered population of more than 293,000 patients, while other NHS datasets list 36 main GP surgeries.

Although the exact number of practices has remained relatively stable in recent years, the number of patients registered with them has continued to rise.

That means each surgery is, on average, responsible for significantly more patients than in previous years.

The pressure is unlikely to ease anytime soon.

Havering is one of London’s fastest-growing outer boroughs, with thousands of new homes planned or already under construction. Large developments in areas including Romford, Rainham, Beam Park and elsewhere are expected to bring many more residents over the coming years.

With every new housing development comes increased demand not only for homes but also for GP appointments, dentists, pharmacies, schools and hospital services.

Nationally, the trend mirrors what many residents are experiencing locally. The number of GP practices in England has fallen by more than 1,000 since 2018, while the number of registered patients has increased by almost five million. As a result, the average workload per practice has risen substantially, despite practices employing a wider mix of healthcare professionals such as pharmacists, physiotherapists and advanced practitioners.

Many Havering residents say they understand the immense pressure GP practices are under and recognise the dedication of doctors, nurses and reception staff. However, they also believe healthcare infrastructure must grow alongside the borough’s expanding population.

Whenever new housing developments are approved, questions are frequently raised about whether sufficient investment is also being made in GP surgeries, schools, hospitals, dentists and transport links.

For many, the issue is no longer simply about building homes.

It is about ensuring the services that communities rely upon are expanded at the same pace.

As Havering continues to grow, residents are likely to keep asking the same question:

Can our healthcare system keep up with the borough’s rapidly increasing population?

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