Backing for new Costessey health centre plans

Dan GrimmerAn influential health committee has accepted plans for a new medical centre which is set to transform care for thousands of patients.Dan Grimmer

An influential health committee has accepted plans for a new medical centre which is set to transform care for thousands of patients.

At a meeting of the county council's health overview and scrutiny committee yesterday (HOSC) members asked health bosses about the consultation process involved in the building of the Roundwell Medical Centre in Costessey.

Plans for the centre, at the former Roundwell pub site, in Longwater Lane, were approved last year following years of campaigning from staff and health campaigners who said the existing surgeries in Valley Road and Longwater Lane were no longer 'fit for purpose'.

The plans were bought to attention of HOSC because the committee had not been consulted. But yesterday members said the plans do not mean such a 'change in health service provision' for them to be questioned and said they welcomed plans for the 'state-of-the-art' centre.

Tim East, county councillor for Costessey, said Costessey was burgeoning with new housing developments creating a larger population.

He added: 'This will be a flagship surgery with better parking. It is strategically located in the heart of Costessey.'

Nikki Cocks, NHS Norfolk's director of independent contracts, said: 'We have presented HOSC with a full and transparent account of the development. However in retrospect we recognise we should have consulted HOSC earlier.

'Both the practice and NHS Norfolk have consulted widely on this and we continue to do so.'