Plans for second town GP surgery put on hold.
NHS leaders have halted plans to open a second GP office in Melton Mowbray. The developing town currently has one surgery, Latham House, which serves around 36,000 patients.
The Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland Integrated Care Board (ICB) is collaborating with Melton Borough Council on plans for a new surgery in 2022. However, the ICB has announced that it does not have financing for the project and has placed it on hold until February 2027.
The council and the ICB were looking for unoccupied space at either the authority’s Parkside headquarters or its Phoenix House community assistance complex on Nottingham Road to house the second practice.
Residents in Melton had expressed worries about current appointment wait times as well as the impact of additional homes being developed in the town.
‘No viable financial option’
Pip Allnatt, council leader, said he was “extremely disappointed” by the ICB ruling.
“There is huge pressure on the existing town surgery and we have been working very hard to get a second practice,” he explained. “Feb. 2027 is a long time to wait for this process to resume.
“It is too long. We can’t let our property sit unoccupied. While we hoped to investigate whether we might use government property to house a new practice, it currently appears that there is no realistic financial possibility.
“Unless more money is put on the table from somewhere, there won’t be the new surgery that the town really needs.”
Labour leader Allnatt said he had written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting requesting additional funds, but had got a “holding response” with no guarantee of cash. We have contacted the Department of Health and Social Care for comment.
The ICB stated that it did not receive financing to establish new processes and instead relied on Section 106 payments, which is money paid by developers through municipalities to reduce the impact of new housing construction.
According to Allnatt, the majority of Section 106 cash was allocated to Leicestershire County Council for road projects and the construction of new schools, not healthcare.
He stated that this was the result of a deal reached between the borough and county councils before to his election, which he hoped would be renegotiated.
Reform UK. Leicestershire County Council leader Dan Harrison stated that the borough was solely responsible for prioritising Section 106 money.
“This is his job, not ours – it’s that simple,” Harrison remarked. “If something is our fault, we’ll hold our hands up, but if not, we’ll robustly defend our position.”
In response, Allnatt stated, “It is not our decision alone. He is correct in the sense that an agreement had been reached.
“However, the county council has the whip hand [in deciding how the money is spent].”
Pete Burnett, the ICB’s chief strategy officer, stated: “We are committed to continuing to work with Melton Borough Council to explore options for a second primary care site for Melton residents, when guaranteed funding and suitable, affordable premises are identified.”
“We are working with the current GP practice in Melton to extend the support it can provide to local residents, which includes a new digital suite at the [practice’s] main site and an approved redevelopment of a property owned by the practice on Sherrard Street to extend clinical services.”
Latham House did not wish to comment.
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