Doctors in New Leicestershire’s surgery is nearing completion

A new medical operation in a Leicestershire town is nearing completion. The new Barwell Medical Center was approved in November 2021 by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council.

Located off the town’s High Street, it will replace the existing practice on Jersey Way, which is at capacity and unable to meet community demand, developers GF Tomlinson said. The number of patients requiring surgery is expected to double in the next five to 10 years, rising from the current 6,400 to 11,000.

Work on the new £3.6 million center is expected to be completed next month, but no date has yet been set for the grand opening. It will boast 12 consulting rooms, a space for minor surgeries with recovery facilities, a health promotion area.

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It is also expected to offer a wider range of services to its patients, including physiotherapy and mental health support. There will be 52 parking spaces and six bike racks on site.

The land was previously occupied by a workshop and disused vehicle depot. These were both demolished.

Dr Mark Findlay, GP partner at Barwell and Hollycroft Medical Centres, told councilors when they debated the plans in 2021 that the existing center was not fit for purpose and was “depressing to work in”. Speaking as the scheme nears completion, he said he was “thrilled” the wait was almost over “after 17 years of planning”.

He said: “We are delighted that, after 17 years of planning, we will be moving into a state-of-the-art purpose-built medical center later this year. In the last 10 years our practice roll has grown by 50% to 14,600 patients across our two facilities and we are in desperate need of a new building at Barwell.

“After a difficult process to get NHS consent and planning and funding issues, we are relieved to be close to delivering the building our patients and staff deserve. The new medical center is less than 500 meters from the existing site, closer to the local pharmacy and more accessible – being located on Strada Mare, on the local bus route and having 52 parking spaces.

“We were delighted with our choice of contractor, GF Tomlinson, who were incredibly supportive and professional throughout, as well as being very considerate of our neighbours. Going above and beyond, they supported the local community with food bank donations, Christmas tree collections and wood recycling.”

Adrian Grocock, Group Managing Director at GF Tomlinson, added: “It is a privilege to deliver this new state-of-the-art medical facility, which will enable more local people to access vital medical care as well as its expanding specialist services.

“GF Tomlinson has extensive experience in delivering healthcare schemes and understands the incredibly important role it plays in the local community. The team and I look forward to seeing this significant progress in the coming months.”