Petition calls for government to fund new health centre for Leighton Buzzard

It follows last week’s announcement by the newly-formed Central East integrated care board (ICB) that the town has been identified as one of seven areas in the district expected to benefit from a neighbourhood health centre or improved service provision in the near future.

Comparisons have been made between the government’s planned neighbourhood centres and the previously popular health hubs, one of which, Grove View, was opened in Dunstable.

A list of possible venues was drawn up and submitted to the government by the ICB, a meeting of Central Bedfordshire Council’s social care, health and housing overview and scrutiny committee heard.

Precise locations are still far from clear, and the eventual services offered could vary from one town to another depending on need and demand.

In a media statement, the Leighton-Linslade Liberal Democrats confirmed: “In response to local health bosses identifying Leighton Buzzard as a desired area for a future new health facility, the local Lib Dems have started a petition calling for the government to fund the scheme.

“It was revealed that the ICB had identified several towns in the Central Bedfordshire area, including ours as potential sites for a neighbourhood health centre.”

Liberal Democrat Leighton Linslade South councillor Emma Holland-Lindsay said: “After much lobbying, local health bosses have admitted that Leighton Buzzard needs a new neighbourhood health centre.

“The ball is now firmly in the Labour government’s court to give the local health service the money it needs to make such a health centre for this town a reality. Having got the local health service to suggest Leighton Buzzard as a potential site, the campaign doesn’t stop.

“We’re calling on people across the town to join us in demanding that the Labour government gives the local NHS the money it needs to build, equip and staff the health centre our town so desperately needs,” added councillor Holland-Lindsay, who chairs CBC’s health scrutiny committee.

The petition calling for the government to fund the plans can be signed at: https://www.centralbedslibdems.org.uk/leighton-buzzard-health-hub.

In an email to the local democracy reporting service, councillor Steve Owen (Independent, Leighton Linslade West) described the listing of the town for a health centre as “welcome news, because it’s the first glimmer of the ICB being prepared to listen to either the government or our health campaigners calling for an emphasis on local facilities”.

Councillor Owen explained: “We’re in the early stages, but it’s a major step forward after some pressure was applied for further services.

“There are no guarantees of government action. The government has a ten-year programme. Might Central Beds and particularly Leighton Buzzard be at the bottom of that list?

“The CBC council leader says we need to wait for government to respond to the ICB list. That allows the ICB to carry on concentrating its spending on the large general hospitals.

“New health facilities are appearing in the Milton Keynes City Council and Bedford Borough Council areas, where both local authorities have been prepared to put some of their own money towards these.

“Central Bedfordshire had some money in its budget for health and took it out. Local councillors and communities have had no say or involvement in this ICB announcement.

“Our councillors and health campaigners need the chance to tell the ICB what these centres should look like and to discuss whether CBC should copy the successful tactics of Milton Keynes and Bedford Borough by investing its own money into making those new health services happen.”