The Parish Council and Constable Country Medical Practice (CCMP) have been aware for a number of years that the residents of Capel St Mary have been concerned about the Surgery facilities in the village, this is always the primary concern in any survey or consultation.

At the April meeting of the Parish Council a proposal was made to approach Pete Keeble, the Manager, and the Partners in order to work together to provide the best health facilities and care for our residents, and a very positive meeting followed with both parties willing to work together to progress ideas particularly as we were aware that Scott Properties were soon to be applying to build 550 houses on Capel Grove and it was a possibility that land may be available.

Over the next three months there was a series of meetings involving BDC Planning Department, CCMP Manager and Partners, Capel St Mary Parish Council, CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS), District Councillor Carpendale, and Martin Scott. As Sue Carpendale said ‘we can all see the problem surely we can find a solution’.

The latest response from the CCG to the Parish Council stated ‘Mitigation as part of any planning application response is requested with a view to the current application as well as any known or expected cumulative development in the area. Mitigation for health care facilities to serve planned developments does not necessarily relate to building projects such as an extension, but can also be used to improve access to health services such as digital initiatives or other solutions suitable at the time of the development. The use of S106 or CIL funding allows a degree of flexibility in how they are implemented in order to increase capacity and mitigate a housing development. The implementation or expansion of other initiatives such as digital support the ability for primary care providers to increase their clinical capacity.’

It has been made clear that there is no funding available from the NHS, but at the present time all that would be needed is land on the Capel Grove development. However the CCG have confirmed that CCMP over the two premises should cope with the predicted number of patients.

The Parish Council and CCMP are extremely disappointed with this outcome as I expect are the residents. But please be reassured that we will continue to work together to get better facilities in Capel St Mary.

 

Chris Matthews

Chair Capel St Mary Parish Counci