Doctors in Uppingham plan for new surgery
FAMILY doctors in Uppingham are to move out of the town surgery by the end of the year.
FAMILY doctors in Uppingham are to move out of the town surgery by the end of the year.
They say they need bigger premises to cope with demand – and are planning to open a new surgery for their 10,000 patients at the National Farmers’ Union premises in Uppingham Gate, Ayston Road.
There would be parking for patients’ cars at the new premises unlike the current surgery in London Road.
There would also be a lift. At the moment patients with disabilities or who are immobile have to wait to see a doctor downstairs, or attempt to use the stairs.
Patients will now be asked for their views on the proposal.
Practice manager Rob Lynch started at Uppingham Surgery in April last year and the move has been on his agenda ever since.
He said: “The biggest downside with the current building is that there is no parking and there is poor disabled access.
“We don’t have a lift to the first floor and some of the consulting rooms are not up to 21st century standards. I think the Quality Care Commission would struggle to pass the building if it was assessed.
“We have spent money in trying to maintain the surgery as best we can but Uppingham is going to get bigger in time and we are already busting at the seams.”
Both the surgery and the National Farmers’ Union feel that the move will be beneficial to all. The NFU says it has too much space for its needs.
Mr Lynch said he did not know how much the conversion work at the NFU building would cost as the job was out to tender.
Regional director for the NFU Richard Hezlet, who is based in Uppingham, said: “It is early days and we are still in negotiations.
“We will probably end up staying as tenants to the surgery but there is still a lot of work to do. The idea is that they will buy it and we will stay upstairs which would suit us perfectly. It’s far too big for us and there is plenty of space for them.”
The Leicestershire and Rutland Primary Care Trust approved the surgery’s request to move to the new location at a meeting last week.
A surgery patients’ participation group has been set up to speak to patients directly about the plan.
There is also a questionnaire on the surgery website, www.uppinghamsurgery.nhs.uk
You can also follow @uppinghamdoctor on Twitter
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