Renewed hope for healthcare in Leighton Buzzard as care board brings in experts to look at NHS land

There is renewed hope for improved healthcare in Leighton Buzzard as experts have been commissioned to give advice about NHS land off Vandyke Road.

Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (BLMK ICB) is carrying out scoping work for "further health and care services" in town, and has brought in external support to give "detailed financial and technical advice".

It stated: "This follows conversations with health ministers about the potential release of value from NHS land off Vandyke Road. In-depth scoping work will be undertaken as quickly as possible, and the ICB looks forward to discussing findings with partners and residents."

At a public meeting about GP capacity in February, Andrew Selous MP explained the land's potential to bring "an additional pot of money to the table". Decisions have not yet been taken about whether services would be provided on this land, or whether it would be sold to fund healthcare provision elsewhere in town. What kind of provision the money could fund has not been confirmed.

At the meeting, Felicity Cox and Dr Rima Makarem, Chief Executive and Chair of BLMK ICB, also committed to keeping residents updated on the ICB’s work. Its Primary Care Team met with Patient Participation Groups in February.

Mr Selous said: “It is welcome to see BLMK’s commitment to undertake this work as quickly as possible. I am also grateful to all three Patient Participation Groups in the town for their consultation with patients which has been launched. This is a crucial part of the process so that we get the right additional health and care services in the right places."