Plans for Bedford healthcare schemes scrapped - for now - due to 'revenue constraints'

Bedford’s mayor said he was “bitterly disappointed” as plans for healthcare schemes in the borough have been scrapped – for now – due to ‘revenue constraints’.

BLMK Integrated Care Board (ICB) agreed to support (in principle) 23 of the 53 primary care estates schemes across Bedford, Luton and MK at a meeting held this afternoon (January 11).

Nicky Poulain, chief primary care officer, told the committee that two key areas were used to assess each of the schemes – funding and priority – and that funding was a “finite resource”.

“In summary the panel is recommending 23 schemes should be supported at this stage,” she said.

“Now we recognise this, unfortunately, does leave 30 schemes which cannot be supported from the primary care delegated budget at this stage,” she said.

Following the committee’s decision to agree to the recommendations, mayor Dave Hodgson said: “In the health and wellbeing board in September 2021, we had some members that are on your committee make a presentation and say things are going to happen last year, this year and next year.

“I questioned it several times, I gave the member of the NHS a chance to say they won’t happen, there are risks and that wasn’t taken.

“I see the comments [in the online chat] from Leighton Buzzard, but I can talk about the Wixams, I can talk about Sharnbrook, I can talk about the terrible temporary facility in Wootton, the loss of space that the NHS could have got for free.

“There’s a whole range of stuff and we need to work together,” he said.

He added that the consultation and engagement with stakeholders had not happened and it should have happened before this decision took place.

“We are losing GPs and our residents are losing the ability to get appointments because of the lack of facilities.

“I really do hope we can seriously work together as opposed to what appears to be rubber stamping [instead of] working together to make sure we get the right outcome for our residents that we all want.

“I’m bitterly disappointed by the meeting and the engagement with stakeholders,” he said.

Ms Poulain said she was “disappointed” that the mayor didn’t feel that there wasn’t any partnership working and that the notes for public meetings are available.

“It’d be really nice to have this information before the committee takes the decision,” the mayor said.

“You’ve now taken the decision and you’re saying you’ll give us the information after the fact, that doesn’t feel open and transparent, I’m afraid.”

Ms Poulain replied: “I think in fairness we have been open and transparent, and for me it is how we’re very much supporting respective PCNs, working with you at place.

“I accept your view that you feel that it’s not transparent, I have to accept it and we’ll have to learn from it together,” she said.

The Bedford schemes not supported at this stage are:

> Caritas PCN: Progressing availability of two vacant administrative spaces in Queen's Park Health Centre

> Wootton Vale Healthy Living Centre: Development of new premises for surgery on adjacent Councilowned site, to replace the temporary building which the practice currently operates from

> Harrold: Proposal to extend surgery utilising a combination of S106 funding and practice own funding (under expectation of increased notional rent reimbursement)

> Shortstown: Potential option to lease at a “small” shell rent plus rates and services charge for empty unit attached to surgery to ensure expansion space for practice.

> Wixams: Plans for new surgery in Wixams Town Centre – to operate as a branch surgery for up to two existing practices – one in Bedford Borough, one in Central Beds. Designs nearing completion. Proposal for construction to commence in 2023 if a partner agreed to forward fund S106 in exchange for rental agreement, otherwise delivery to be delayed until s106 funding is available to cover cost of delivery

Read the full meeting papers here.