Concern over plan for medical move
COUNCILLORS have raised their concerns over the proposed relocation of the Beeches Medical Centre to the Hough Green Health Park.
Halton Clinical Commissioning Group (HCCG) said patients will be asked for their views in a similar move to the patient consultation that is ongoing regarding the proposed closure of the Hale Village GP Practice.
HCCG said: “Beeches Medical Centre recently wrote to NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group requesting approval to relocate from its current building.
“The main reasons behind the request are operational, as there is no room for practice growth and there have been maintenance issues regarding leaks and the heating system not working at intermittant times during the past year.
“The practice would like to move to a modern, fit-for-purpose building with potential for the practice list size to grow.
“Relocation would help the practice to maintain an open patient list.
“The practice considered the Health Care Resource Centre but felt that Hough Green Health Park would be a better option for their practice.
“A formal public consultation has been launched which will run until September 24, 2018.
“This will give patients a chance to give their comments and views, all of which will help to inform the recommendations.”
The proposal has prompted a lukewarm response from Hough Green councillor Phil Harris.
Cllr Harris said: “Hough Green ward councillors will be responding to the consultation and this will include querying whether the capacity of the Hough Green Health Park in Upton can cope with the proposed influx from closing Beeches medical centre.”
Meanwhile, Cllr Marie Wright who, in addition to her role as executive board member for health and wellbeing, represents the Ditton ward that the Beeches medical centre lies in, registered her concerns about the move.
Cllr Wright said: “There is a 12 week consultation just started but as a ward councillor for Ditton I am really concerned about possible relocation of the practice.
“We already have the uncertainty surrounding the practice in Hale and if the Beeches practice is relocated the nearest provision for people from Hale and Halebank would be Hough Green.
“The issue around transport needs to be taken into consideration. ● ●
“It will be interesting to see what the findings of the consultation are and I, along with my colleagues Cllrs Shaun Osborne and Joe Roberts, will fight to get the best outcome for the residents of Ditton.”
Patients can continue to make appointments at Beeches Medical Practice as usual while the consultation is in effect.
The consultation is available at https:// www. smartsurvey. co. uk/s/BeechesMedicalCentre/ or a paper copy can be accessed from Beeches Medical Centre and from NHS Halton CCG, Runcorn Town Hall.
There is also a dedicated Beeches Medical Centre Consultation webpage at http://www. haltonccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/ beeches-medical-centre