Building work on the replacement Brownsover Surgery and community facility in Rugby was officially started when local MP Mark Pawsey cut the turf on the site last week.
NHS representatives and construction partners were joined by members of Brownsover Patient’s Action Group, local councillors and Rugby MP Mark Pawsey for the ceremony on the site of the £2.3 million development in Bow Fell, Brownsover.
The development will provide a 624-square metre GP surgery and a 100-sqm community facility, as well as parking and landscaping, with construction due to be completed by the end of 2018. The project cleared its final NHS approvals in late 2017 and local people have seen site preparation and initial work throughout January 2018.
Speaking at the event, Mark said:
“Brownsover residents have been incredibly patient since the closure of their previous local surgery in early 2015 and although it has taken longer than we all would have wanted for work to begin I am delighted to see things now progressing. I am confident that everything will now move quickly and that local residents will soon be able to enjoy the replacement surgery and community facility.”
Mark continued:
“The Brownsover Patients Action Group led by Jake Stephenson, Mike McCarthy and Kamal Mehta, deserve an enormous amount of credit for all of the work that they have done to get us to this point and I will continue to work closely with them and the NHS to ensure that this project is delivered on time.”
Jake Stephenson, Chair of the Brownsover Patient’s Action Group said:
“On behalf of the group I’d like to say we are really pleased to see the start of the end of our campaign. The community will shortly see our new surgery rise from the ground, and we are grateful for all the support we’ve received from our MP Mark Pawsey and the media, over the past 3 years. We look forward to the doors opening for patients for the first time later this year”
Jenni Northcote, Chief Officer for Primary Care and Strategy for Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group added:
“This is a positive and exciting step forward for this project, which we appreciate has been long awaited by local residents. We will continue to work closely with resident and patient representatives as the project moves forward to ensure that the new premises are completed on schedule and that the general medical services commissioned take account of the needs of local patients.”