THE GPs and the Patient Participation Groups of Chiddenbrook and New Valley Surgeries has extended an invitation to the public to attend a Drop-In Open Evening next month about the proposal to co-locate both practices to a new, single GP surgery in Crediton.

The proposed location for the new GP surgery would be in Joseph Locke Way, adjacent to Crediton Railway Station and the Tesco store at Wellparks.

The Drop-In will be held in the function room at Crediton Football Club from 5.30pm to 8pm on Wednesday, February 6.

It will be an opportunity for the practice community to view information, engage with the project teams and offer feedback.

NHS England has been assessing the project which promises to deliver radical improvements to the way healthcare is delivered.

With this development the GPs seek to improve and develop new models of care for their patients, maintain general practice in Crediton for the next 30 years, and attract young GPs and key medical staff in the future.

The Crediton GPs, together with their Federation partners in Mid Devon Healthcare, have been exploring potential solutions to the challenges facing modern day GPs – namely how to meet the changing healthcare needs of the population in the current economic climate.

The rise in prevalence of obesity, diabetes, alcohol and smoking related illness, an expanding population with new housing developments and an ageing population are stretching services in their current format.

Dr Peter Twomey, lead GP from Chiddenbrook surgery, and Dr Jo Harris, lead GP from New Valley Practice have spearheaded the project which will attract significant financial investment from NHS England’s Primary Care Transformation Fund which the GPs will pay back over 30 years.

Dr Jo Harris told the “Courier” in December: “We will be delighted if we are instrumental in bringing financial investment into Mid Devon and even more delighted that we will be in the driving seat to ensure that the investment delivers what the population needs.”

Dr Peter Twomey said: “The time is now right for Mid Devon to develop a new approach to the way health and well-being is delivered.

“This attractive new development will safeguard the future of primary healthcare in our locality and at the same time increase the recruitment potential for key personnel.

“This in turn will build on the tremendous work already undertaken and provide an opportunity for us to develop the services to address the needs of the 21st Century.”

The Project is on a tight deadline. The NHS grant, funding 85 per cent of the project, must be allocated and used by March 2020 so the funding does not revert back to the Treasury.

At the time Dr Jo Harris added: “We have worked closely with the NEW Devon CCG and local stakeholders in our bid process and now we hope to see the project commissioned in the New Year.

“We anticipate that this will bring other benefits to the community such as employment opportunities and some improvements in transport and infrastructure.

“We have been evolving our plans with our patient groups. Once the Outline Business Case for the project has been approved by the NHS England based funding panel, we want to present our plans to the wider patient community in an open meeting. This will happen soon.”

Dr Twomey added: “However, we have been tenacious, and we have continued to drive the project forward despite numerous hold-ups and delays.”

In order to keep on track, the GPs are submitting a planning application to Mid Devon District Council, as this requires three months to get approved.

Mid Devon District Council has also been asked to assist in the funding process.

At the Drop-In on February 6, there will be five information points staffed by project team members seeking patient feedback.

This will include architects and building plans, the “Case for Change”, project GPs, Patient Participation Group and the Transport and Project Management Team.

Four of the GPs together with members of the medical team and the practices’ patient groups have been developing the building plans with local architects.

Grainge have held interviews and analysed the workflow for future models of care and space requirements. The project is still in the development phase and there will be challenges to overcome but the GPs are optimistic.

More information about the development of the project and how the location was chosen will be available at the meeting.

Those unable to attend, or who would like preparatory information, can visit either of the practice websites: www.chiddenbrook-surgery.nhs.uk and: www.newvalleypractice.co.uk .