'Staggering' findings show there is one nurse per 5k patients in Thames Valley

Cllr Stephanie Steevenson spoke out after a report revealed that each practice nurse in the Thames Valley now looks after around 4,576 patients, about 20 per cent more than the national average of 3,821.

The report said that while more appointments are being offered overall, shortages mean some communities still struggle to see a nurse quickly.

It added that the figures underline the need for more investment in the primary care workforce and integrated neighbourhood health teams.

Cllr Steevenson was speaking at a meeting of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Buckinghamshire Council, during an update on the development of a new Thames Valley Integrated Care Board.

Responding at the meeting, Rob Bowen, Director of Transformation at Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB, said work was under way to build a more localised model of care.

“I am sure most of you would have heard of the move towards a neighbourhood health service,” he said.

“We are planning and working with local partners to deliver a neighbourhood focused provision of healthcare, and that is where your practice nursing comes in.

“We are starting to think about all of the resources that we have got, be that money, be that people time, maximising the way in which we are using those resources.

“So there is less duplication between what a practice nurse is doing, and other professionals are doing to work with those communities.”

The report added that primary care provision across the region remains uneven, with figures showing significant differences in GP availability.

In Berkshire West, there are just 47 GPs for every 100,000 residents, compared with 60 per 100,000 in Oxfordshire.

It said the areas with the fewest doctors often coincide with communities facing higher levels of deprivation, raising concerns that existing health inequalities are being further deepened.

The discussion came as work continues to establish the new Thames Valley Integrated Care Board, which will be formally launched in April 2026 to serve 2.5 million people across Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire.

It will aim to improve the health of the Thames Valley population and decide how best to use its £5.6 billion budget.

The creation of the new board comes after the government told integrated care boards across the country to reduce their running costs by 50 per cent.

Under government plans, boards across England will be required to spend no more than £19 per person.