The Island’s county town could be left without a central doctors’ surgery leaving tens of thousands of Islanders facing the consequences.
Plans have been revealed to relocate Newport Health Centre, from its 2 surgeries, in the centre of town and Carisbrooke, to a potential out-of-town location next to Asda.
Another Newport GP practice is also set to close its doors, moving all operations to Wootton.
Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council (NCCC) was told the Carisbrooke facility was ‘unfit for purpose’ and the former practice partners at Dower House Surgery, on Pyle Street, wanted to sell their building. This leaves the practice currently housed in Dower House a year to find somewhere new before its contract runs out.
Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) confirmed it was in ‘very early’ discussions with the health centre.
Alison Smith, Managing Director, has said:
“It is looking at its future estate requirements with the possibility of relocating its practices into one building to provide patients with improved access and services”.
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Instead of looking at alternative sites put forward by NCCC and the Isle of Wight Council’s regeneration team, councillors said developers engaged by Newport Health Centre, Assura, are favouring a greenfield site, with enough space for a state-of-the-art building and a large car park.
The Isle of Wight Council confirmed it is working with interested parties, partners and agencies to help the practice find a solution to the situation but is ‘aware of the impact’ the move may have on the local community.
Despite other sites in the centre of town being pushed instead by councillors, including building on car parks and the derelict land near Newport Fire Station on Coppins Bridge, the preferred site is said to be on Godric Road off St George’s Way, next to Asda.
The proposed site is Isle of Wight Council-owned but the authority was unable to confirm if a final offer had been made on the site, due to ongoing talks and negotiations.
Concerns had been raised by NCCC, with chair Councillor Geoff Brodie saying the move out of central Newport would be deeply disturbing and devastating for residents.
Councillors said patients are currently able to walk to the surgery but with the move out of town, residents who have no access to a car, may have to get 2 buses to now access treatment.
Patient watchdog Healthwatch Isle of Wight confirmed people have already started to contact them with concerns about how to get to their practice if the moves takes place.
Joanna Smith, Healthwatch manager, said the CCG and GP practices must speak to those who may be affected to let them know what is happening and why the changes need to be made.
Another concern, raised by Councillor Matt Price, was that the current timescale to agree the site, get planning permission and build the facility, could lead to GP provision being hugely disrupted.
Alison Smith said neither the preferred site nor timeline had been confirmed yet but the CCG and practice would engage with patients to seek their views of any move to help make an informed choice.
As part of Medina Healthcare, West Street Surgery in the town was also thought to be up for sale, NCCC said. Last year the health providers swapped branches so their main operations took place at their Wootton facilities, with the CCG now confirming the Newport branch is ‘not fit-for-purpose’.
Alison Smith said the Wootton branch was a much more modern building with better access and car parking facilities.
The rent, she said, of the Newport building would be ‘reinvested to continue to improve services for patients’.
Elderly people living in the many sheltered type complexes on Newport, most within walking distance of Dower House, will be devastated by this news. It’s bad enough trying to get to see a doctor these days, without the added hassle of out of town appointments.
Former partners wanting to sell Dower House, so why don’t the trust buy it. And why the pressure to build on greenfield,out of town instead of developing more locally. Newport harbour is up for development, plenty of space for a surgery there, put it in the council offices on the quay, and move them to Asda.
Thought Geoff Brodie was a fan of new building on greenfield.
Might even offer a walk-in service for blood tests, now that would be something.
Doesn’t really matter where they are, you can never get to see a GP anyway!
WE can’t but all those developers can, as they can now easily afford private health care for all their loved ones, as can anyone in the group on the receving end of their ‘gratefulness’.
When only the wealthy can afford to run electric cars, we wil be left with an awful life, with the elderly hobbling along to out of town doctors, whilst the rich will have quite roads to drive upon to their private dental and doctors.
SEE what is going on here.
Obviously the NHS feel that far too many people have the nerve to walk into the GP surgery instead of having an online or phone consultation – solution – move the surgery to the middle of nowhere – that will cut the patient numbers further.
selfish thing ti say I bet your all right Jack!!!
It shows up the fact that the NHS have no control over GP practices (They appear not to be part of the NHS)
Most are now owned by the practice (partners) so they can do what they want. They get paid by the NHS to see us but retain ownership of the service.
The Medina Healthcare Wootton site may be more modern but you could hardly call it a big building and as a long term solution it really is not the answer and for anyone without a car coming from Newport would make a visit to the doctors more a day out.
Move Planning into County Hall.
lots of offices are now empty as people are working from home.
Convert Seaclose planning into the GP surgery EASY!
County Hall is underused now.
From the Dower House to Godric Road, is about 10 minutes walk, Seaclose is further than that. At least with the surgeries under one roof, you won’t arrive at the Dower House to be told your appointment is at Carisbrooke. And if you have to drive to the surgery then at least there might be somewhere to park, Makes sense to me.
Or…… Move County Hall to Camp Hill and make County Hall the medical centre. Very little work required at either location plus plenty of parking and a central location for something that is useful. And greenfield site can remain a greenfield site.
If council offices not used why can’t Doctors all move there? Even closer!
I could be right and I could be wrong but I am convinced that the NHS will disappear in the near future to be replaced by private sector. Deep down underneath this government would love this to happen. In the meantime can someone explain why the Carisbrooke Surgery is declared ‘unfit for purpose’ .Also why doesn’t the government step in and buy out Dower House and carry on This government will willingly spend billions on railway etc., why not our health. Which is more important. I feel sorry for all that are and will be affected.
Absolutely Disgraceful
Brodie loves to implement urban sprawl.
At the recent planning meeting for Freshwater he quite happily voted for the greenfield development and took no notice of representations regarding there being no infrastructure to support more houses.
Chicken and roost perhaps….
What’s the point? Don’t think doctors exist anymore they don’t need a building just to reply to an E-consult they can do that from home cut their wages down they will soon get back to proper work then
One of the doctors does do E consult from home, and he lives on North Island !!!!
It’s the way they want it now they don’t want face to face
West Street Surgery moved to Wootton, without as much as a by and a leave you. If you need early morning blood test say 8.30 and don’t have a car, bus fare is nearly £7
Didn’t the planning permission for the Pan Estate extensions include a new Doctors Surgery IN ADDITION to the existing ones. If so, and if I’m not mistaken, where is it ?
Will it have more than 1 telephone and more than 1 person to answer the phone?