Concerns raised about whether Yorkshire coast health infrastructure is keeping pace with new housing developments

Coun Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff, who represents the Hunmanby and Sherburn division, has said there is a lack of clarity around planning obligations that require housing developers to make financial contributions to local health infrastructure.

North Yorkshire Council’s health scrutiny committee will meet on Friday, September 8 to discuss issues around the county’s planning and health infrastructure.

A report prepared ahead of the meeting states that more than £500,000 has been secured to extend primary care floor areas across 13 separate developments in Scarborough.

According to the report: “Funding is, and can only be used, to increase primary care floor area to mitigate against the increased population.”

But speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Coun Donohue-Moncrieff said there had been a lack of clarity and communication around the Integrated Care Board’s plans for primary care in Hunmanby and surrounding villages.

Speaking at a full meeting of North Yorkshire Council in July, Coun Donohue-Moncrieff, said: “I’ve got some concerns in particular in my area, and I’m sure it’s true across the county, where our local surgeries are already oversubscribed and under pressure.

“Is the chairman [of the scrutiny of health committee] satisfied that the local integrated care boards were properly planning for future provision of GP surgeries with an ageing population and additional strains?

“In particular, is he satisfied with the use of S106 [planning obligation] money for future building developments as local plans are developed and rolled out, and whether or not we have proper plans in place for future delivery of local healthcare in our areas?

“Because, at the moment, it feels as though the housing gets built but the health infrastructure never actually follows and I think it is a matter of public confidence in the system that we have proper oversight and visibility of these issues.”

Coun Andrew Lee, chair of the health scrutiny committee, replied: “You raised some very important points and this is something the committee has flagged up.

“Quite often when developments are proposed, one of the things that get flagged up is the infrastructure which I think some of us acknowledged does not move at the same pace as developments.”

Coun Lee added that he would raise the issue with the Integrated Care Board and that “most of us would agree with the thrust of what you are saying”.

The health scrutiny committee will meet on Friday, September 8 in Northallerton to discuss urgent care delivery on the coast as well as planning infrastructure in the county.

The NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board has been contacted for a comment.