High Oak Surgery: listening to the DIHC public consultation

Healthwatch Dudley was asked to undertake engagement to understand how the relocation of High Oak GP surgery in Pensnett would impact on patients.  They undertook a survey and interviewed people in depth. They heard from 355 people.

The lack of an adequate bus service to reach Brierley Hill Health and Social Care Centre from the Pensnett area was a strong recurring theme across the responses. Nearly half of respondents said that they had either an ‘extremely poor’ or ‘poor’ experience of accessing services at Brierley Hill Health and Social Care Centre. This is in comparison to 20% of respondents who said they had a ‘good’ or ‘very good’ experience’.

The interviewees also expressed concern about access. They wanted convenient and easy access to local healthcare services on foot or using local direct bus services, especially for older people or those with mobility problems or chronic health conditions. The area is disadvantaged and car ownership and digital access is lower than their more affluent neighbours and this makes GP access in Brierley Hill particularly difficult for people who rely on public transport. This is further compounded if mobility is poor or for people with chronic health conditions, as this can mean two bus journeys or an expensive taxi. Parents with young children told us about their concerns of travelling on a low income.