PATIENTS may have to care for themselves more because health services in Colchester cannot cope with the rising population.

The North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group has revealed Essex has one of the lowest concentrations of GPs per resident in England.

Prospective GPs may be offered a substantial starting bonus to come and practice here.

The hospital is also beyond breaking point with too many patients and too few staff.

Commissioning group chief operating officer Sam Hepplewhite said: “The population of north-east Essex is growing fast, especially among older people.

“Coupled with higher levels of long-term medical conditions than is average for Essex or England, this will create substantial additional demand for services over the next ten years.

“We have been looking at the ways in which we could provide services in a different way in the future, closer to peoples’ homes with access to family, friends and carers.

“This would also involve refocusing effort on helping people to self care, to stay independent for as long as possible, to manage long-term conditions and to support them to recover quickly following accidents or episodes of ill health.”

The seven commissioning groups in Essex are working to try to increase the GP numbers.

Mr Hepplewhite said: “We have agreed to the creation of a workforce development centre, as well as offering a golden hello scheme aimed at attracting the brightest candidates to the county.”

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Colchester will soon become the fastest-growing shire district in the country.

By 2016, 10,000 homes will have been built in Colchester in an 11- year period –more than any other of the 238 shire districts in the country.