At the Biggleswade Town Council meeting last night, (22nd February 2011), Dr Hollington and Christina Ward both of the Ivel Medical Centre, attended to provide their insight into the future for health facilities in Biggleswade.
The Primary Care Trust (PCT) will no longer be responsible for organising the facilities required, that is now the responsibility of the doctors. Representatives from The Health Centre and The Ivel Medical Centre will be meeting the Kings Reach Developer to explore the S106 agreement, which at present allows for a payment of monies and the provision of land. (£625,000 index linked and 0.5 hectare of land). Dr Hollington and Christina Ward said that area would not be enough for both surgeries but they were not particularly in favour of one centre. There are associated problems with accessing one large site. I will add here that during this discussion Councillor Mrs J Lawrence said that Kings Reach was the developers name for the development, not ours and that half an acre was only big enough for the car park.
Apparently all options are open but The Practices would not commit to Saxon Gate. The practices could develop individually although the Saffron Road, Health Centre was not as critical for space. There could be the possibility of a third practice, just for Kings Reach. There could be two or three sites and the practices share them.
The practices would need to get PCT approval to their proposals and would need to address the Biggleswade Town Council survey results that said the majority of respondents wanted a new health centre in the town. If that "box was not ticked" it would fail.
Councillor Mrs J Lawrence said that the people of Biggleswade did not realise how big the town was going to be in the future, so consequently they did not realise how big a health centre would be needed. She said the survey showed that one third of people use a car to get to their doctors. The town centre is not actually the centre of the town.
Councillor Wilson said the Biggleswade Town Council survey could not be relied upon as only 1200? commented and of those ??% said the town.
Councillor D Lawrence asked if the asset value of the two practices had been looked at. Dr Hollington did not consider this an issue.
Councillor D Lawrence asked if the asset value of the two practices had been looked at. Dr Hollington did not consider this an issue.
At this point Mayor Councillor W Smith suspended the Council Meeting to let "the public" have their say.
A representative from the Biggleswade Town Plan Steering Group said they had data which might be helpful to the Doctors in formulating their options and they were willing to share it with them.
M. Russell said the town had not been given the facts. Something more than surgeries were needed. People have to arrange transport to and from Bedford for the eye clinic and go to Stevenage / Bedford for an X ray. A local drop in centre was needed.
The Council Meeting then resumed. Mayor Councillor Wendy Smith said we needed to communicate more with our doctors.
"Councillor Wilson said the Biggleswade Town Council survey could not be relied upon as only 1200? commented and of those ??% said the town. "
ReplyDeleteThis is amusing as it's not unusual for a candidate to be elected to the Town Council on a 20-30% turnout, but still winning a majority with less than 50% of the votes actually cast...
Does this mean we shouldn't 'rely' on the election results as a true measure of public opinion either?
Is this quote correct? Is Cllr Wilson saying that the Town Council's own survey cannot be relied upon? or is he referring to a 'Bigg Picture' survey perhaps?
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