A U-turn by health bosses means that Wootton will retain its local doctor’s surgery after all, but a new surgery at Riverway in Newport will still be built. Island Echo reported in 2022 that the existing doctor’s surgery at Brannon Way would be demolished and rebuilt as a result of structural issues being identified. As a temporary measure, the surgery was to move to the former Natwest Bank on Riverway in Newport by mid-2023, before moving back to Wootton 3 years later. However, it was back in March of this year that Island Echo revealed Wootton Bridge Medical Centre was set to permanently move to Newport, affecting around 9,000 patients. The news was met by backlash from locals. Then, in May, the NHS confirmed it was exploring options for maintaining a healthcare presence in Wootton, with further confirmation now received that the Brannon Way surgery is to be retained. The decision comes after extensive discussions and in-person feedback sessions involving Medina Healthcare patients and other community representatives, and further assessments by Solent NHS Trust – which is taking on the management of Medins Healthcare’s GP surgery from September – regarding the viability of the current site. Medina Healthcare initially concluded that the building works required to fully repair the issues identified would be too disruptive and that the permanent relocation of the surgery would be the only feasible option. However, the collective efforts of Solent, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Medina Healthcare and the landlords Assura have enabled the exploration of further options with the intention now being to keep the Wootton Bridge site operational. It’s been confirmed that the new surgery at Riverway, Newport will still open and is set to be ready by Summer 2025. The new site will feature modern healthcare technology, and improved accessibility, offering a better environment for patient care and improving face-to-face appointment capacity such as GP and other healthcare appointments. Once Riverway has opened, any works required at Wootton Bridge will begin, with careful scheduling to minimise impact on patient care. Alasdair Snell, Solent NHS Trust’s Chief Operating Officer, has said:
“We are proud to be growing our primary care presence on the island, already seen with sexual health and specialist dental services in place over recent years. “We deeply value engaging with patients and other community voices as they can play an active and important role in helping us make our primary care services the very best they can be in terms of meeting people’s healthcare needs. We would like to thank everyone for their feedback whether it be through the patient engagement sessions in the Spring, or directly – it has been really informative. “Solent is committed to helping healthcare professionals remain in the heart of communities like Wootton Bridge. The new developments in Newport will complement our services and provide more comprehensive care options for people of all ages.”
It’s been confirmed that the new surgery at Riverway, Newport will still open and is set to be ready by Summer 2025
Once Riverway has opened, any works required at Wootton Bridge will begin
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at which point they will say, “oh my god, the state of this building, it is beyond economic repair, it will have to close and patients will need to “temporarily” move to riverway”
then it will be sold off and turned into a benefit hutch complex for more deadbeat spongers, with the original plan of all wootton patients going to riverway implemented, as planned all along
Do you know this? Or are you making it up as you go along. Also do you write fantasy stories?
Islander seems pretty sure of themselves. They must be in the know and have insider information.
more likely an astute assessment of the most likely scenario that will play out over time -based on the fact that we are dealing with politicians, councillors and pen pushers, that historically, don’t exactly have the greatest reputation for telling the truth and often change plans and overturn decisions, despite claiming they wouldn’t.
Correct, that will then be their excuse to close the
Wootton Surgery down.
They are doing it to suit themselves, they don’t care
about patients needs.