Patients at a Sidmouth GP practice are being asked for their views on plans to extend one of its sites and relocate the other.
Sid Valley Medical Centre is currently based at the Beacon Medical Centre in Sedemuda Road, with a satellite Blackmore Health Centre in Blackmore Road.
The practice has announced plans to extend the Beacon centre with extra consulting rooms, a minor injury unit, operating theatres, training rooms, and facilities for pharmacists, a physiotherapist and researchers.
The town centre branch surgery, Blackmore, will be moved to two designated rooms at the Victoria Hospital, with other rooms to be available as and when needed.
GP partner Dr Joe Stych said the changes would allow the practice to expand its range of services, increase capacity to meet future needs, and recruit more doctors and nurses.
He said: “Working from a more suitable site has been the vision of the partners at Sid Valley Practice for over 20 years, but the options for extending our facilities in the town have been limited.
“The practice has been struggling with the increasingly complex needs of a growing population and an increased demand for our services.
“There isn’t enough physical space in the current Beacon building to see an increasing number of patients, and there is limited space available for office staff.
“A bigger building would result in additional space for more staff, which in turn will mean more available appointments and shorter waiting times.”
He said while many patients value the practice’s presence in the town centre, the Blackmore premises are ‘no longer fit for purpose’, and working with the Victoria hospital would provide a better service for patients and help avoid unnecessary admissions.
Dr Stych added: “Funding has been secured to get the project through planning, and both NHS England and Devon CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) are supportive of this scheme, and are working together to secure funding to complete the project.”
Further information on the proposals can be found on the Sid Valley Practice website
Paper copies are available at both medical centres, but patients are advised to use the online option if possible, because of Covid-19.
Feedback can be given by emailing d-ccg.beacondevelopmentfeedback@nhs.net
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