Bedlington GP surgery to undergo £180,000 expansion

The Gables Medical Group, which leases Bedlington Station Health Centre, has a patient list of 7,000 which is steadily increasing.

To cope with the rising demand, the site’s landlord NHS Property Services (NHSPS) and NHS Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have come together to develop a scheme of works for the site.

The project will involve creating four new consulting rooms for the practice, totalling around 101 square metres of additional space, and will see the Gables Medical Group’s branch surgery co-locating with them on site.

Karen Spencer, practice manager for The Gables Medical Group, said: “We have been fortunate to receive funding through the additional role reimbursement scheme (ARRS) to expand our team to ensure we provide the best care we can to our patients.

"The extension means we can take full advantage of this and expand the services we offer.

“In addition, we will also be a training practice to support GP registrars from August, which is an exciting opportunity for the practice, and the additional space means we will be able to facilitate a training hub.”

The overall aim of the works is to future-proof the practice’s premises to ensure that it can cope with an increased patient list, thereby expanding local primary care capacity.

The £180,000 works have been financed by NHSPS and come after £250,000 in improvements in the site over the last few years, making it a more modern and sustainable place to work and receive treatment.

Thomas Britcliffe, NHSPS principal portfolio optimisation manager, North East and North West England, said: “These works will enable Bedlington Station Health Centre to accommodate the Gables Medical Group’s steadily growing patient list for years to come, increasing access to high-quality healthcare locally.”

NHS Northumberland CCG’s head of commissioning – estates and premises, Jamie Mitchell, added: “We recognise the importance of practices having fit-for-purpose facilities to support their efforts to cater for all of their patients’ needs, which is why we have a comprehensive estates strategy with a focus on improving patient care at its heart.

“Successful partnership working like this with NHSPS and practices means that we can take advantage of opportunities when they arise, in line with our plan.”