NHS challenged on claims expanded Leighton Buzzard facilities will provide 56,000 extra health appointments a year
The local NHS was challenged over claims that expanded facilities at Leighton Buzzard would provide capacity for 56,000 extra appointments a year, with Central Bedfordshire councillors saying residents had been given a clear impression of what would be delivered.
The issue was raised at a meeting of the Social Care, Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Monday, April 20) where campaigner David Messum, chair of Leighton Linslade Health Provision Group, said public confidence had been damaged.
He told the committee: “Statements in the media at the opening of the clinic… implied that there will be 56,000 extra appointments per annum.
“And this now feels disingenuous that the number was closer to 10,000 for the first six months.
“This has lost the community’s trust,” he said.
Committee chair councillor Emma Holland-Lindsay (Lib Dem, Leighton Linslade South) said previous public statements had created expectations among residents.
She said: “We had the Health Secretary in Leighton Buzzard saying this investment will deliver 56,000 more appointments for local patients every year.
“We also had the member of parliament saying this investment at the Leighton Buzzard Health Centre will mean up to 56,000 more appointments can be held every year.
“I think residents have quite rightly got an impression about what is going to be provided.
“And thanks to the diligence and the hard work of the health provision group we know that we are some way short of that.”
Responding on behalf of the Central East Integrated Care Board, Nikki Barnes, associate director of system and ICB estates, said: “The extra rooms provide capacity for up to 56,000 additional appointments per annum.
“They were delivered in response to detailed modelling work… which indicated a need for up to 10 additional rooms to future proof primary and community care services in the town over the next 10 years.
“We will review the utilisation of the health centre rooms once they’ve been operational for 12 months.
“That’s when we think the data will start to become truly meaningful and that will be after July this year.”
Ms Barnes said there had been “a big increase in activity from months three to six”.
“I haven’t got more recent data than that to tell you if it’s continued to grow at those levels or whether we are seeing any plateauing.
“I would certainly hope that it’s continued to grow.”