Extra health services could come to Holbeach with new facility

New clinical services will be brought to Holbeach once plans for a new facility get off the ground, councillors were told.

South Holland District Council is continuing to work with Holbeach Medical Practice and the NHS to expand the surgery into new premises at a site in Park Road.

Deputy leader Tracy Carter was quizzed about the plans during the last Holbeach Parish Council meeting when staffing and location concerns were highlighted by councillors and member of the public, Paul Poll.

The project, which is a key part of the council’s Town Centre Improvement Plan for Holbeach, were revealed earlier this year and hope to boost footfall in the Holbeach.

She told the meeting in Holbeach Hurn Village Hall that talks of bring doctors surgeries in the past to the town had not come to fruition but the conversations on this were ‘moving forward’.

Coun Carter, who stressed that this project did not come under her portfolio, said: “The key is new services will be here. That’s the point to hopefully deliver additional services.”

She added that the district council was working with the NHS and other councils on the plans, which are at an early stage.

Coun Carter said: “It involves a great deal of conversations which are on going. The really positive thing is that the position we are in is much further down the road.”

Mr Poll raised concerns that his Freedom of Information request into the former Limmings Warehouse in Park Road had not been answered by the district council and he felt that it would the wrong location to put the facility suggesting the Aldi site being better.

Mr Poll said: “If older people can’t drive how can they get to the place?”

Coun Sophie Hutchison said: “I don’t think it is the right location. The Aldi site is better. I am not aware of what stage it is at. I do think the local community should be consulted when the time comes to a big infrastructure plan like that.”

Coun Carter replied: “That’s the key – when the time comes. The Aldi site is no longer in the district council’s ownership.”

Coun Peter Savory said that Holbeach Medical Centre has seen a reduction in doctor numbers and added: “Before you look at additional services I would suggest you look for doctors to manage it.”

He was advised that the council does not intervene within the practice which is a separate entity.

Coun Pat Ward wondered if the hub could be provided at the Holbeach Hospital site on Boston Road North.

Coun Carter, who is a trustee of the hospital, said: “I don’t think that is the right option and I don’t think Holbeach Hospital would be interested in that either.”

- Coun Carter said she was hoping that a cage could be placed in the middle section of crossing over the entrance of Park Road and the A17 after worried mum Lisa Smart and her family were nearly hit by a driver last year.

She also told the meeting that officials will also be looking further along Park Road and that plans for new signage and crossing near the William Stukeley Primary School were moving along nicely.

- New traffic lights will be installed in Market Hill but it is hoped that there will be some improvements for the drivers coming from the Park Road and Church Street entrances.

Holbeach along with Mablethorpe are the two towns selected for a digital mapping project, the meeting was told by Coun Carter.

- A homeless man is being supported by the district council after he had been living in the town toilets.

The toilets will be reparied and will now be fitted with a digital lock.