STEPS are being taken today to stop patients getting high temperatures when they visit an Ipswich GP practice. Hot and sweaty patients have complained about uncomfortable levels of heat in the Ravenswood Medical Practice during the summer, because the centre is not equipped with air-conditioning.

STEPS are being taken today to stop patients getting high temperatures when they visit an Ipswich GP practice.

Hot and sweaty patients have complained about uncomfortable levels of heat in the Ravenswood Medical Practice during the summer, because the centre is not equipped with air-conditioning.

But now something is being done about the problem with air-conditioning due to be installed in the building's waiting room within a few weeks.

Christine Watts, practice manager, said: “When the building was built we were assured it didn't need air-conditioning because the designers and builders were very confident that the temperatures would stay within the regulations, with an upper limit of 28C.

“But we regularly had temperatures of over 30C and some of the consulting rooms on the south side have been up to 32C or 33C.

“It is hard to work in those temperatures and for patients to feel comfortable.

“We've had lots of complaints. It is a disappointment from the design point of view.”

Mrs Watts said the practice, in Hening Avenue, Ravenswood, was pleased the air-conditioning was now being installed courtesy of Kier, the company which built the centre nearly two years ago.

But she added the problem would remain in the eight consulting rooms as air-conditioning was not being installed throughout the building, which the medical practice rents.

A spokeswoman for Kier Eastern said: “During our original design review it was considered that mechanical ventilation would provide a comfortable waiting environment for patients and that additional cooling was not necessary.

“It is now apparent that during periods of prolonged hot weather this is not the case and we are taking steps to rectify the problem by providing solar reflective film to glazed areas and mechanical cooling to the waiting areas.”

Were you left hot and sticky at your GP practice during the summer? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.