I had a meeting last week with Keith Hutchings, Practice Manager at Roade Surgery, along with other representatives including the Patient Participation Group, to discuss the future of medical services in the village.

In the meeting, Keith updated me on the background to their group of surgeries (which includes Blisworth, Grange Park, and Hanslope) and the ongoing pressures at the Roade site. In a report commissioned by Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, Roade has been rated as red-lined in terms of capacity and future operational suitability, despite the ongoing sterling efforts of everyone at the surgery to see as many patients as possible and to provide the usual excellent service that local residents have come to expect. I have written to Nene CCG to ask them about their plans for the future of the practice at Roade, and the proposal by the surgery to relocate to a new larger site in the village.

Under the current development plans by Persimmon in Roade, land has been gifted to the surgery for a new building. However, Nene CCG is currently undergoing a review of their entire Estates portfolio, and is unable to give a clear determination at this time as to whether the surgery’s business case will be accepted. I know that many local residents are concerned about this, and I have agreed with the surgery to look into the matter on their behalf and to see what can be done to move this issue forward.

I will provide further updates through my website when I have more information, but I am supportive in principle of the surgery’s position.