New research has revealed Swale will need a 74% increase in GPs by 2020 to meet the clinical need.

The borough requires 36 more doctors as it battles the affects of a growing population.

It is being caused by thousands of new people moving into developments such as those in Iwade and Sonora Fields in Sittingbourne.

Hundreds more GPs are going to be needed across Kent.

New league tables published by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) show there is likely to be a shortage of more than 400 local doctors in our communities by the start of the next decade.

It says patients are finding it difficult to see a doctor due to a lack of resources for general practice and rapidly growing demand – brought about
by the ageing population and more patients being treated for long-term and complex conditions.

RCGP chairman Dr Maureen Baker said: “The figures show how critical it is to act now if we are to have enough GPs to meet all our patients’ needs over the next five years.

“We need to recruit and retain far more family doctors and practice nurses so that we can go on providing high-quality care and services in local communities.”