4,000 people sign petition calling for urgent action over Leighton Buzzard healthcare facilities

The petition reads: “The people of the town of Leighton-Linslade and surrounding villages believe they endure inadequate healthcare. They ask that BLMK integrated care board (ICB) and CBC urgently and jointly address and redeem healthcare provision here.

“A minimum requirement is the promised doctors’ surgery and a town centre health hub or minor injuries unit, with public transport access and adequate parking. Such improvements must be future-proof.”

Independent Leighton Linslade West councillor Steve Owen told a recent meeting of CBC’s social care, health and housing overview and scrutiny committee: “The Leighton Buzzard campaign continues and gathers momentum,

A local survey recorded “a 98 per cent support level for the group’s priorities of a centrally located health hub or urgent treatment centre and a fourth GP surgery to serve the housing estates east of the town”, according to executive member for children’s services councillor Owen.

“Growing pressure to provide better localised community health services” was the reason for the council deciding to back the health hub programme in 2017 with government support, he explained.

“The pressure in Leighton Buzzard led to a huge public campaign in 2022/23 led by patient participation groups. A 4,000-strong petition will be presented to our full council meeting on Thursday 26th September.”

David Messum, who was representing the Leighton Linslade Health Matters group, said at the same meeting: “The long-awaited outline business case has been seen as a major disappointment by residents.

“It’s little more than several generic statements where it’s difficult to qualify whether there are genuine extra investments specific to our town.

“Even more worrying is the expectation of selling the Vandyke Road site without any assurances the money will be used to fund a new health centre building, with extra finance commitments from BLMK ICB or CBC.

“We’ve submitted freedom of information (FOIs) requests to understand where our 52,000 patients are currently going for their appointments or treatments.

“We’d like the ICB to provide a full breakdown of the 250,000 annual appointments to provide residents with a clear picture how the community’s primary care system operates.

“This is the only way to eliminate the current high levels of cynicism and mistrust expressed to our group, which is being unfairly directed at the primary care networks and accident and emergency staff.”

BLMK integrated care board (ICB) associate director of estates Nicky Barnes acknowledged it as “an important and emotive subject for the local community”, replying: “There are extra primary care appointments being delivered, particularly in the evenings and at weekends.

“Around 2,000 extra blood tests are being taken every month in the town. The support work force has increased significantly, so we’ve a robust multi-disciplinary team relieving pressure on our GPs and helping patients.

“A new minor illness clinic will be starting in January on a small scale initially, with an ambition to scale it up. Some more space has become available at Leighton Buzzard health centre on Bassett Road and we’re rapidly exploring how this can be best used.”