Press release from the Horndean Surgery Patients Group:
We are delighted to announce that after almost 5 years in the planning, the new Horndean Surgery will be ready for Doctor Mark Coombe and his team to move into in the Summer of 2015.
Following a recent tri-party meeting with Mark Carrington, MD Linden Homes, Julia Potter, EHDC Planning Officer, Guy Shepherd, Horndean District Councillor and Derek Chard, Chair of the Horndean Patient Participation Group, the final obstacle of funding has now been overcome and an agreement reached. The clear guarantee of funding now enables Linden Homes to go ahead with the fit out of the new surgery ready for occupation by August 2015.
The tri-party participants have faced many difficulties along the way but have never lost sight of the fact that Horndean is in great need of a new surgery, especially given the ever increasing patient list which can no longer be sustained in the outdated Blendworth Lane surgery. It is a known fact that Doctor Coombe and his team are recognised as a leading teaching practice in Southern England, despite the limited facilities at the current site and the new surgery will provide the structure to further expand the teaching capability of the practice which will be a leading facility in the South.
It is also a testament of Dr Coombe’s commitment to Horndean and its residents that his plans for the new surgery will offer scope to provide a wider range of treatments currently not available at the old surgery. However, it is acknowledged that despite working in very limited conditions, Horndean Surgery has continued to offer excellent medical care and support to the community, alongside an important and well recognised teaching role.
Horndean Patient Participation Group wishes to thank in particular District Councillor Guy Shepherd, Mark Carrington MD Linden Homes and his management team, Julia Potter EHDC Planning Officer and her team, Doctor Coombe and partners, along with Jean Smees, Practice Manager for all their hard work and dedication in bringing this project to fruition for the benefit of Horndean and its residents.
Derek Chard
Chairman
Horndean Surgery Patient Participation Group
Excellent news, well done to all involved – should also be just enough time for Linden Homes to sort out their mistake with the car park to enable the correct number of cars to park without the restriction of the trees and the easy access for wheelchairs !
Yes agree but if and thank goodness it is only an if, the massive development of 700 houses plus industrial units for 700 employees, as well as a Primary school gets built how will this surgery cope? The car park alone is full now and I hear one of the doctors is leaving?
Steve I think the articles on the surgery very clearly give feedback from the Surgery that they are planning for the future and the new developments. The larger surgery with more capacity will not only cope but will also be able to offer additional services. Well done to Dr Coombe for taking the bold step to upsize and diversify. One of the Doctors is leaving but another has joined the practice and is shortly to become a full partner so no concerns there. The good news on the carpark is that there will be a 2 hour no return parking limit to ensure the spaces are available for the customers to the surgery and Spar.
Morning Guy, please go and take a look at the car park in front of new surgery. Cowplain have got it right with a much larger carpark but it’s always full. Horndean will not cope if it has to take on the massive development of an extra 700 Homes plus 700 employees, plus a school. Guy come on, you’re not only kidding yourself but trying to kid us to. It’s much too small.the whole lay out is wrong.