Major new surgery to replace two GP practices

PLANS to replace two doctors surgeries in a Cornwall town with one new medical centre will be put to the public at a consultation event.

The proposals would merge Newquay Health Centre and Narrowcliff Surgery to form a single, larger surgery.

The new facility would be located off Trevenson Road in Nansledan, which is 1.2 miles from Newquay’s centre. Some residents have expressed concern that this is too far from the town and would render the new surgery inaccessible for many patients.

The plans come as the current surgeries struggle to cater for the town’s growing population, despite enhancements to their existing buildings. The need for the project has been supported by NHS Kernow Commissioning Group (CCG) for many years.

The new facility has been designed to accommodate 42,000 people and will include 24 consulting rooms, 20 treatment rooms, training rooms, meetings and administration facilities, as well as increased parking spaces and bike storage. With construction beginning in summer 2023, the building is due to open to patients in mid 2024.

However, the plans have been met with a mixed response from local residents. While some recognise the need to improve current services, others have also expressed concerns about the location and accessibility of the new surgery’s proposed location. A new bus route has been proposed to improve transport links to the site, but this is not likely to come to fruition in the short or middle term.

Lesley Baize wrote on Facebook: “As someone who isn’t allowed to drive, this surgery couldn’t be more inconvenient for me.” Nadine Wade added: “For a start, driver or not I live in Newquay not Nansleden. I agree it could be an improvement for both Narrow Cliffs and Newquay Health Centre to merge in new premises – but why in what amounts to another ‘town’? And Monique Collins said her 83 year-old mother in law will no longer be able to walk to the surgery that she has been attending for years. Additionally, Toby Abbs argued that improved facilities will not guarantee superior care without recruiting more staff and said the new surgery should have an on site pharmacy, which he said was only stated as “a ‘potential’ prospect” in the plans.

The new scheme will be developed by Assura, which is a specialist primary care property company based in Cheshire. As well as the developer, it will be the long-term property partner, leasing it to the GPs via a long-term arrangement agreed by the CCG. Operating for more than 15 years Assura currently looks after just over 560 GP surgery buildings, serving more than five million NHS patients.

The public are invited to a consultation event in Newquay Health Centre, in St Thomas Road on Thursday 28th April from 5.30pm to 8pm. There will be representatives from the practices and developers in attendance.

As someone who isn’t allowed to drive, this surgery couldn’t be more inconvenient LESLEY BLAIZE