FOLLOWING a councillor’s call to build a new health centre, Barnoldswick Medical Centre has expressed its disappointment that a proposal for a new building did not get past the feasibility study stage.

At the annual Pendle Council meeting, new Barnoldswick councillor Tom Whipp proposed a resolution calling for the East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group “to take forward plans for a new health centre in Barnoldswick as a priority.”

In his debut speech at Pendle Council, Cllr Whipp said: “Barnoldswick has a wonderful team of health staff and doctors but Barnoldswick’s growing population has an ever-increasing need for a modern health service.

“Currently, the GPs work out of converted cottages, with poor access and poky consulting rooms and treatment areas.

“It is past time for a 21st century health centre in Barnoldswick – housed in accessible 21st century facilities.”

A spokesman for Barnoldswick Medical Centre said: “Barnoldswick Medical Centre doctors were very keen to pursue the idea of a new health centre to provide more space for staff to care for the increasing population of Barnoldswick and to provide extra services locally. To this end we spent around two years having regular meetings with the CCG, planners and architects. A suitable site was identified and plans were drawn up.

“At the start of the process the understanding was that NHS England would provide a grant towards part of the cost of the new building. Unfortunately funding criteria changed several times during the planning process and the final proposal suggested by the feasibility study was unacceptable.

“The Barnoldswick GPs are very disappointed at the outcome, but are of the view that it is more important to use resources to provide much needed appointments rather than to operate from a new building.

“We have recently employed an additional GP, Dr Sarah Pryde, who is a very welcome addition to the practice and is helping us to provide timely appointments for those who need them.

“We apologise to our patients that our premises are less than ideal, and it would have been beneficial to have district nurses and other health professionals on the same site.

“However we believe our patients will understand that our priorities lie in providing accessible good quality care.

“This is reflected in the most recent National Patient survey, with the practice scoring above both local and national averages in the majority of areas.

“We will of course continue to explore any opportunities that may arise in the future which may develop an alternative premises solution.”