Patients in Launceston joined doctors, architects and officials on the site of the town’s medical centre to celebrate completion of the steel frame for the surgery’s long-awaited extension.
Members of the surgery’s patient participation group and the League of Friends of Launceston Hospital, who have all worked with the practice to progress the plans, joined a site visit with us on Wednesday to mark the milestone.
Our two-storey build to the rear of the current building was launched earlier this year to create more space for the surgery, which has far outgrown its current premises and now needs to serve almost 20,000 patients.
When complete, the extension will provide 10 more consulting rooms (including training facilities), a bigger waiting room, a new entrance to the dispensary and a staff training/meeting room. There will also be more space created to allow staff from across health and care, such as paramedics and practice nurses, to work together as one team under one roof.
Joan Heaton, PPG chair, said: “Everybody’s involved with this, the whole community is on board so it’s wonderful to visit the site. The physical environment for patients is so important – we’re doing a lot with wellbeing and social prescribing, so I’m really interested in the mood of the place. We can’t wait – one more year!”
Dr Michelle Wells from Launceston Medical Centre said: “Now that the steelwork has gone up, it’s made the prospect of moving into this place and carrying on medical practice in such amazing facilities all the more exciting. It’ll make a huge difference to how we work – all these years we’ve had visions of expanding our practice for our patients and now we’re finally going to have really high quality work space.”
Andrew Abbott, director of primary care for NHS Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group, added: “I’ve come from another new practice site which is a year or so ahead in terms of their build, and saw there the smiles on people’s faces from having such a good facility to be in; everyone felt lifted by having good quality space to work together in. This new development will create a hub where people can feel good about where they work together, and provide the much needed space to see patients and colleagues.”
The extension, which is supported by NHS England’s Estates and Technology Transformation Fund, will provide additional car parking spaces and funding from Launceston Rotary Club will ensure the new extension is dementia-friendly.
Roger Serginson, our Senior Development Manager, said: “This extension has been a long time coming for Launceston and it’s exciting to see it beginning to take shape. We’re looking forward to seeing it open to patients and staff next year.”
Pollard is delivering the build and Hugh Dalton, business development director, said: “We’re delighted to be working once again with the Assura team, building on our longstanding relationship. With works now on site, we look forward to delivering this extremely important community facility.”
The Architects Design Group who developed the plans and vision for the new space were also on site to mark the occasion, together with Summers Inman, employers’ agent and BREEAM consultant. ADG Director Patrick Deigan and project architect Steve Walrond said: “We’re pleased work has started on site and we’re working closely with Pollard and the client team to deliver the improved facilities for everyone that will use the building.”