Newport GP surgery has plans to expand
A GP surgery in Newport has applied to build new consulting rooms but faces a “tight timeline” if it is to make use of NHS expansion funding.
Linden Hall Surgery currently has nine doctors and has recently taken on other clinical staff.
Practice manager Karen Sloan has applied to convert an outbuilding known as “the garage” at its Station Road site. In a supporting statement, senior partner Stefan Waldendorf said the work “needs to be completed by the end of the financial year, March 31, 2022”.
Newport Town Council will be consulted, and Telford & Wrekin Council’s planning department will make its decision at a later date.
Blueprints submitted to the borough council show the 19th-century building – which is currently used for storage – could house three consulting rooms, a small reception and a toilet.
Dr Waldendorf said: “Linden Hall Surgery is looking after more than 13,000 patients in Newport and the outlying villages.
“Over the years we have grown in size and now have nine doctors working at the surgery.
“More recently we have taken on additional workforce through our Primary Care Network. We have recruited a clinical pharmacist, a social prescriber and a first-contact physiotherapist.”
Because of this, he added “we find ourselves in a position that we run out of rooms to accommodate these additional staff members”.
“There is funding available through the NHS, which has recognised this problem, to support surgeries to create additional space,” Dr Waldendorf writes.
“However, this runs on a very tight timeline. The work needs to be completed by the end of the financial year, March 31, 2022.”
A design and heritage statement, prepared by Christoper Roscoe Associates on behalf of Mrs Sloan, said: “In heritage terms, the building is of some historical and architectural merit, given its connection with the main building, and is worthy of retention and conversion to its proposed use.
“Existing window and door openings, along with other architectural features, will be retained and external alterations will be kept to a minimum.”
