A POPULATION surge has prompted a 'genuine fear' that health services will fail to provide for people in Bicester.

Health service providers have been urged to plan ahead after the latest Healthwatch Oxfordshire reports found people were worried healthcare was not keeping pace with the town's expansion.

Problem areas uncovered in the latest report by the health watchdog found concerns about a shortage of dentists, lack of available GP appointments and difficulties accessing mental health services.

Many respondents said there was a typical wait of about four weeks to see a GP.

The findings come despite Bicester being designated an NHS England 'healthy town' - a title which aims to encourage better healthcare across the town.

Healthwatch Oxfordshire executive director Rosalind Pearce said: "While there is no doubt people are very happy with the standard of care they receive, there is a genuine fear over whether this high standard can be maintained in the future, unless service providers start planning sufficiently."

The Healthwatch Oxfordshire survey took in the views of about 450 people in the town over a two week period in September and October.

Following the results, Healthwatch Oxfordshire called for action for service providers to plan ahead as Bicester faces huge expansion.

Between 2011 and 2031, more than 10,000 new homes will be built in the town, in line with Cherwell District Council's local plan, increasing the population from 30,000 at the moment to about 50,000.

Sites for thousands of new homes include NW Bicester's eco town, Kingsmere and self-build site Graven Hill.

Healthcare in Bicester is currently provided by Montgomery House Surgery, Victoria House Surgery and Langford Medical Practice [both part of Alchester Medical Group merger], Bicester Health Centre and Bicester Community Hospital.

Ms Pearce added: "We now urge service commissioners and providers to use this report as a starting point to produce a detailed plan for future health and social care provision for Bicester.

"Any plan needs to take fully into account the most up-to-date estimates of the likely extent, nature and timing of the projected population growth in the area.”

Healthwatch Oxfordshire has already taken action on some if its findings, including contacting NHS England about the shortage of dentists, and writing to Oxfordshire County Council’s head of adult social care, Kate Terroni, raising concerns about changes to adult day care services.

The number of centres for adult day care has been cut recently due to county council savings.

In a bid to provide extra support to the already stretched GP practices in Bicester councillors have approved a planning application for a new medical centre in the town.

The centre, put forward by applicants InHealth, will provide diagnosis and outpatient treatment from a shop unit in Pioneer Square.

Cherwell District councillor, James Macnamara, said: "We do need additional healthcare provision in Bicester and the proposals being put forward for this unit are set to support local GPs in finding out what’s wrong with their patients and giving them the correct treatment.

"Developing the unit as a healthcare centre will only involve minimal alterations to the outside of the building and so there will be no harm to the character of the wider shopping area."

The new centre would employ eight people and be divided over two floors, with a reception and pharmacy on the ground floor.

Patients would be referred to the new centre from their GP, it would not be a walk-in clinic.

Mr Macnamara added: "The diagnostics centre approved for Pioneer Square will come as a welcome boost to the Bicester economy, creating eight new jobs and bringing more people into the town centre, which will be good for nearby retailers."

No date has yet been set for when the centre could opened.