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John Baron MP: Meeting agrees to new Billericay Heath Questionnaire

22 May 2009

MP chairs meeting which concludes existing questionnaire is confusing.

Today at a meeting convened and chaired by John Baron MP at the Billericay Health Centre at which local GPs, Councillors and the PCT were present, it was agreed that the existing questionnaire regarding the Billericay Health Review was confusing and could be open to misinterpretation. After the MP, local Councillors and the GP's expressed concern, the PCT agreed to scrap the existing questionnaire and sit down with the other parties to agree a new one. The PCT is now seeking clarification as to what further period is required for the consultation.

John said:

"There is real concern that some of the questions were confusing. For example, in asking whether we would like four new surgeries it did not make clear that this would result in the closing of the existing seven GP surgeries."

"I am pleased the PCT has listened to our concerns and has agreed to tear up the existing questionnaire. We will now sit down and put a new one together, and then we will all give it a push locally so not to waste the momentum of the present consultation."

"This consultation will shape the future of health services across Billericay during the next 15 to 20 years. It is therefore vitally important that it has the full confidence of everyone. Our hope is that this new questionnaire will now achieve this."