Doubts over Mexborough 'super surgery'

The new health centre planned for Mexborough would be the tenth of NHS Doncaster’s complete overhaul of outdated GP buildings.

But the Department of Health has asked the primary care trust to review its capital spending project, “pausing” its progress.

A decision will be made later this year about the Mexborough project, which would be sited alongside the hospital.

Similar surgeries have built in Edlington and Denaby cost a total of £15 million, and work has started on another at Conisbrough to replace the Gardens Lane centre.

The PCT joined up with Doncaster Council, the Department of Health and Community Solutions for Primary Care to create private company Doncaster Community Solutions.

This public-private partnership enabled work to begin on the new centres much faster than if the PCT had used its own annual capital funding budget.

Communities most needing modern health provision were prioritised, and nine surgeries will have been built in just over five years.

The PCT is still keen on delivering the next phase of centres, in Mexborough and Bentley, but will first review all upcoming projects.

A spokesman said: “We have identified a need for better primary care facilities in Bentley and Mexborough.

“We want to take forward our proposals if we can. However, we now have to review our plans in the light of new financial pressures on the NHS.

“We expect to make a decision on the two proposed health centres in early September.”

Super surgeries boast extra facilities in addition to GP practices, which can include district nursing, pharmacies, physiotherapy, sexual health and mental health counselling.

The NHS launched its Local Improvement Finance Trust to oversee the projects like the one in Doncaster in the mid-2000s.