Building work on a new primary care health facility at Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Upon completion, Ascot Medical Centre and Green Meadows surgery will move into the new premises. This is expected to take place in early 2021, although no date has yet been fixed.
Ascot Medical Centre is currently based in the acute hospital site at Heatherwood which is being completely redeveloped by Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT), and Green Meadows surgery is situated in Winkfield Road, Ascot. Both are not sustainable to meet future needs of integrated primary care.
Pictured Above: The computer generated image supplied by ADP Architecture,- a proposed visual of the new -build extension.
Caroline Farrar, Executive Place Managing Director, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Frimley Collaborative, said:
“While Covid-19 has stopped a lot of construction projects in their tracks, we have been able to continue work on the new primary care facility. We’re hopeful that the primary care facility will be completed by around November, ready for the practices to move in from early 2021.
“Co-locating the two practices will enable multiple professional teams to work together resulting in better outcomes for our patients.
“New facilities within the premise will ensure treatment and consultation rooms are suitable for all patients and meet criteria outlined in HBNs (Health Building Notes) DD (Disability Discrimination Act), which is a requirement for all new build primary care premises.”
“Having larger rooms within the facility will also provide space for multi professional input to patients, and carer’s care plans developed to support those with multiple long term conditions and frailty.”
The new facility forms part of the wider Ascot Plan which is to modernise primary and community care for local residents over the coming years and continue to improve on the health outcomes for local people.
Caroline added: “In addition to the exciting new primary health care facility at Heatherwood, we’re hoping to have a new state-of-the-art health centre built next to Ben Lynwood Village, halfway between Sunningdale and Sunninghill.
“The planning application for this particular development is currently with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and if given the go-ahead, the new build will bring together Magnolia House Surgery and Kings Corner Surgery as both practices are currently unable to expand to cope with the current capacity and demand issues, as the majority of their consultation and treatment rooms are located on the first floor with no lift facility for those in need.
“The health centre would enable access to a wider range of services in the community and a more collaborative way of delivering health care, with the potential to offer services for urgent care and on-the-day primary care, as well as additional healthcare professionals such as physiotherapists, mental health teams and voluntary sector.
“There is still time for local residents to pledge their support online for the new health centre to be built, so I would encourage you to do so if you haven’t already”.
To pledge your support online for the new health centre next to Ben Lynwood Village, email planning.maidenhead@rbwm.gov.uk quoting planning application number 20/00969/FULL, together with their name and address.
Pictured Above: The computer generated image supplied by ADP Architecture,- a proposed visual of the new -build extension.