Plans for new health centre in Kempston under discussion

Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, which oversees healthcare in the local area, is carrying out a feasibility study into setting up a series of health ‘hubs’ across area, including Kempston.

The study will report back later this year and should indicate sites where doctors can share resources and work together.

Kempston Labour councillors have been calling for a health hub since April 2017, when a doctor’s surgery approached Cllr Carl Meader, then Mayor of Kempston, with a suggestion for an integrated health centre to include ancillary services such as physiotherapy and maternity services.

When fellow councillor James Valentine took over as mayor he joined with Cllr Meader and other Labour councillors Sue Oliver and Kay Burley to meet with Kempston doctors who reported that they all wanted to pool services.

Cllr James Valentine, said, “We have a growing population, some large empty buildings and doctors who want to work together, so an integrated service is an obvious solution.

“However, once a site is chosen, the money to build it doesn’t follow automatically so we will be keeping up the pressure until we get the right medical facilities that people need.”

He added: “Doctors and nurses don’t want to operate from cramped buildings or have to turn away patients.

“I take my hat off to their dedication and thank them for their patience. As Kempston councillors, we will work with everyone to get a better service for our residents.”

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