Felixstowe: Assurance over pharmacy for new £3.5m medical centre for resort

There had been some concern after Lloyds were refused consent by NHS Suffolk and Rushport Advisory LLP were refused on appeal, with the NHS Litigation Authority saying a new pharmacy was not necessary so close to the town centre.

But now specialist primary care pharmacy operator Community Pharmacies (UK) Ltd and GPs at Central Surgery are set to open a temporary 100 hours-a-week pharmacy at the surgery in Hamilton Road.

Application will then be made for its relocation when the surgery moves to the new medical centre off Grove Road, overcoming the problems of securing permission to open a new one.

Housed in a modular building, the temporary facility opens on March 4 to provide a full range of services including NHS and private prescription dispensing, healthcare and medicines advice and a free prescription collection and delivery service.

Community Pharmacies (UK) Ltd’s managing director, Andrew Murray said: “This has been a long time in the planning and we are pleased to have been able to secure the lease for the pharmacy unit at the new medical centre.

“The pharmacy will relocate to the new medical centre in 2014 when the practice moves and, in the meantime, we will be providing pharmacy services from the current Central Surgery location serving the local community with services tailored to meet the needs of the area.”

The new centre is being developed by leading primary care developer GPI.

David Sadler, from GPI, said: “We are extremely pleased to announce that construction work has now begun.

“The new two-storey facility will provide 1,540sq m of medical space including consulting and treatment rooms as well as room for improved service provision.

“Patients and staff will also benefit from a significant increase in car parking provision within the site and new bus routes and bus stops are to be provided ensuring that there is adequate access to the new facility via public transport.”