Future plans for Leighton Buzzard healthcare published today - and £2m sale of Vandyke Road land can go ahead
The highly anticipated Outline Business Case (OBC) for the future of healthcare in Leighton-Linslade has been released today (November 5).
The Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (BLMK ICB) has presented four options for additional clinical rooms – and it has been confirmed that the new government will allow the sale of land at Vandyke Road to support healthcare in the town.
However, neither a health hub nor a fourth doctor's surgery are listed as immediate future options, despite an ongoing campaign generating thousands of signatures.
A spokesman for the BLMK ICB, said: "The population of Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes is currently growing 2.5 times faster than the national average, and we are working with partners to make a compelling case for the investment the area needs to respond to this additional demand.
"The OBC determines that making further improvements to Leighton Buzzard Health Centre [Bassett Road] is the most viable course of action that could be funded by the sale of the Vandyke Road land.
"Building a new health facility – in addition to the three existing GP practices in the town - is not affordable, with an estimated £3m shortfall in capital funding and significant ongoing running costs."
The four options for clinical rooms are as follows:
> Option 1: Relocation of the administrative functions on the ground floor of the Leighton Buzzard Health Centre, to (soon to become) void space on the first floor. This would provide total of five additional clinical rooms.
> Option 2a: Similar to option 1, with the ground floor conversion works creating five clinical rooms. However, the administrative function currently on the ground floor would be moved to an off-site location. This would provide a total of ten additional clinical rooms.
> Option 2b: Similar to option 2a, but the administrative function would be moved into void space in the ambulance station which would be converted into office space. This would provide a total of ten additional clinical rooms.
> Option 3: Creation of a 14 clinical room new build on the preferred site of Clipstone Park. No changes would take place at the health centre site. The building would have dedicated car park at the front with space for mobile diagnostics to park.
The BLMK ICB has not recommended any of the options as its preferred choice and is seeking feedback.
Financial details for each option are provided in the OBC documents.
The BLMK ICB added: "We look forward to meeting with residents, local politicians, NHS staff and others to discuss the service improvements already made in the town, the potential for additional clinical space to be delivered early next year, and longer-term ambitions."
Meanwhile, Health Minister Karin Smyth confirmed to Alex Mayer, MP for Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard, that any sale proceeds from land at Vandyke Road will be "ringfenced" for the creation of additional healthcare facilities in the town.
Alex Mayer MP said: “I am pleased that ministers have recognised the pressures on primary care infrastructure in Leighton-Linslade, and have listened to the strength of feeling. This decision by the Labour government should mean around £2 million can be invested in the town's healthcare provision. This is one part of the jigsaw complete."
Read the full outline business case here – and a summary here.