NHS Property Services (NHSPS), a government-owned property specialist, has partnered with Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes ICB on two major refurbishment projects.
The first project was the refurbishment of vacant space at Kempston and has created three new consultant rooms and three dedicated retinal rooms.
The first project was the refurbishment of vacant space at Kempston
The new spaces have enabled the relocation of Cater Street Surgery into better quality accommodation and will benefit a hundred more patients each month.
The new space also offers:
- GP consultations
- Baby immunisations
- Midwife services
- Nurse appointments
These improvements bring critical new capacity to a high health inequality area, enabling residents to access essential services closer to home.
The Ampthill project, the second completed project, reconfigured previously unused space to create four new consulting rooms for the two GP practices in the building and their Primary Care Networks (PCNs).
Both projects are a testament to the collaborative efforts of NHSPS and the ICB, delivering on shared goals to ensure the healthcare estate supports growing patient needs.
The Ampthill project, the second completed project, reconfigured previously unused space to create four new consulting rooms for the two GP practices in the building and their Primary Care Networks (PCNs)
By optimising the use of vacant and underutilised space, these upgrades are providing healthcare environments that support better outcomes and reduce inequalities in health access.
Christopher Philbedge, Estates Strategy Lead for the Midlands at NHSPS, said: "Both developments are a testament to NHSPS’s ongoing work to deliver excellent patient care and brilliant service in line with local service needs. We are proud to have helped create more opportunities for patient care in that community."
Felicity Cox, Chief Executive of Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, said: "I am delighted that the upgrades to Kempston and Ampthill Health Centres have been completed in time to benefit local people this winter. The demand for appointments in primary care has grown significantly in recent years, with patients waiting for operations and needing our help in the aftermath of the pandemic.
"Our estates and clinical teams are looking for cost-effective ways to increase space, so we can provide more appointments for people when they need it."