State-of-the-art £5 million doctors clinic unused with no GPs a YEAR after it was built
- last year
A state-of-the-art £5 million doctors clinic is unused and with no GPs one year after it was built following a staggering NHS "cock-up", a councillor has claimed.
Little Lever Health Centre was meant to welcome medics soon after it opened, but Sean Hornby says healthcare chiefs stalled the move over “contract negotiations”.
And shocking photos now show the modern clinic, fit with 14 consultation rooms, laying shuttered months after GPs were meant to begin treating patients.
The independent councillor said he was “annoyed” with the slow progress after he'd “fought like mad” to secure the money for the clinic in Bolton, Grtr. Manchester.
And he said while residents were left furious with the council, he blamed the local NHS bosses for delaying the doctors’ arrival.
He added: “It’s just crazy. My GP himself was keen to get into that building.”
Sean, from the local Little Lever & Darcy Lever party, said GPs were meant to move into the clinic within three months of its opening in February 2022.
But he claimed wrangling over doctors' contracts had left the clinic empty after a new NHS health partnership took over the running of local health services in Bolton.
Sean said he had been disappointed when he found snagging issues had still not been addressed at the multi-million-pound health clinic during a recent visit.
He went on: “It’s a brand new state-of-the-art building. I fought like mad for it.
“The last council administration wanted to convert the old Tesco building on that site into a health centre and library.
“I said 'You can’t do it. You can’t make a supermarket into a health centre, it won’t be fit for purpose.'
“It’s the most eco-friendly building, it’s completely solar-powered. We’ve got about 80 solar panels on the roof. It’s a brilliant building.
“But I went there yesterday. It’s simple things - the snagging has not been done from when it was built.
“If you’ve got consultation rooms where the windows face onto the car park areas, they’ve not got obscure glasses in it. Those simple snagging issues were mentioned last year.”
A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “We are still working with the NHS to move health services in as soon as possible.
“We can’t comment on the reasons for the delay or anything about GP funding.”
Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership and Bolton NHS Foundation Trust have both been approached for comment.
Little Lever Health Centre was meant to welcome medics soon after it opened, but Sean Hornby says healthcare chiefs stalled the move over “contract negotiations”.
And shocking photos now show the modern clinic, fit with 14 consultation rooms, laying shuttered months after GPs were meant to begin treating patients.
The independent councillor said he was “annoyed” with the slow progress after he'd “fought like mad” to secure the money for the clinic in Bolton, Grtr. Manchester.
And he said while residents were left furious with the council, he blamed the local NHS bosses for delaying the doctors’ arrival.
He added: “It’s just crazy. My GP himself was keen to get into that building.”
Sean, from the local Little Lever & Darcy Lever party, said GPs were meant to move into the clinic within three months of its opening in February 2022.
But he claimed wrangling over doctors' contracts had left the clinic empty after a new NHS health partnership took over the running of local health services in Bolton.
Sean said he had been disappointed when he found snagging issues had still not been addressed at the multi-million-pound health clinic during a recent visit.
He went on: “It’s a brand new state-of-the-art building. I fought like mad for it.
“The last council administration wanted to convert the old Tesco building on that site into a health centre and library.
“I said 'You can’t do it. You can’t make a supermarket into a health centre, it won’t be fit for purpose.'
“It’s the most eco-friendly building, it’s completely solar-powered. We’ve got about 80 solar panels on the roof. It’s a brilliant building.
“But I went there yesterday. It’s simple things - the snagging has not been done from when it was built.
“If you’ve got consultation rooms where the windows face onto the car park areas, they’ve not got obscure glasses in it. Those simple snagging issues were mentioned last year.”
A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “We are still working with the NHS to move health services in as soon as possible.
“We can’t comment on the reasons for the delay or anything about GP funding.”
Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership and Bolton NHS Foundation Trust have both been approached for comment.