Two buildings identified for Melton's second GP surgery

Phoenix House (left) and Melton Borough Council's Parkside offices, which have been identified as potential sites for Melton's second GP surgery

Part of the borough council offices on Parkside and Phoenix House, on Nottingham Road, are both being assessed to see if they are suitable.

Latham House Medical Practice is currently the only GP practice in the town and it has more than 36,000 registered patients.

We reported in September last year that the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (ICB) had formally committed to work with the borough council to explore the opportunity to develop a second surgery, with the town set to grow over the coming years with thousands of new homes due to be built.

It had been mooted that the Melton Sports Village site, on Burton Road, was a possible location for the new practice, alongside the existing leisure facilities, but that now appears to be off the table.

Council leader, Councillor Pip Allnatt, part of a new joint-administration made up of Labour and Independent members, said they remained committed to providing a doctors’ practice.

He told the Melton Times: “While the concept of a second GP surgery remains on the table, it appears that the proposed location of the sports village is no longer a viable option, therefore we have offered up two alternative sites, one of which is Parkside.

"They will now be undergoing a technical assessment for suitability and our Asset Development Working Group will pick up on this at the appropriate time.”

The suggestion that part of the council offices could be used for the town’s second GP surgery comes six months after the former council leadership group put forward an idea to convert it into a hotel to provide revenue for the authority.

That idea came in for widespread criticism on social media with residents concerned it would cost several millions of pounds and take business away from existing hotels.

Councillor Allnatt is also not a fan, commenting: "The suggestion of using Parkside as a hotel is off my agenda but the working group will be free to consider any options unfettered by myself.”

Latham House has warned that finding enough doctors to operate a second surgery would be a challenge because retaining them in primary care was a growing issue.