December 3, 1976

A plea has been made to the Government for improved health facilities in the Headless Cross area.

Redditch environmental health committee heard that people had to travel to the town centre for dispensing or to see a doctor.

The committee decided to press the Department of Health to help establish a doctor's practice and dispensing chemist in the area.

Replying to a plea from County Councillor Tom Wareing for improved facilities, Councillor Ken Maynard told the meeting: "This is the real problem of living in Redditch, everybody has to trundle into the town centre from the outlying areas if they need to see a doctor.

"There is no regard for patients, especially elderly people. It is getting worse and worse and we need to get GPs to set up a practice.

"The bigger Redditch gets the bigger this problem gets," added Councillor Maynard.

Council chairman Councillor Horace Shakels pointed out there was little encouragement for doctors to come to Redditch.

"Unfortunately, I wonder whether Redditch deserves any more doctors. The people here seem to be so ungrateful for doctors who are doing a great job under pressure and extremely difficult circumstances," he said.