Fresh fears over future of healthcare services in south-west of town

The troubled Beggarwood Surgery, in Broadmere Road, has come in for heavy criticism for the way it is being run by Cedar Medical Group, with a search to find a new provider for the service starting three months ago.

However, a senior councillor has now expressed fears the facility will have to shut as he has said while a new provider has been found for another facility Cedar runs - Rooksdown Practice - there is no such good news for Beggarwood Surgery.

With two major housing developments in the area also being proposed, which could see more than 1,800 homes being built, calls are being made for these large planning applications to be reviewed to take into account the possible future of the surgery.

Hampshire County Council, Basingstoke South West division councillor, Stephen Reid said that if the North Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is unable to find a suitable provider in three months, the Beggarwood Surgery could face closure, leaving thousands of current patients without access to GP services, compounded by the potential building of more than 1,800 homes in the area.

A 1,100 home plan for Basingstoke Golf Club is being considered by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, while the Hounsome Fields proposal of 750 homes has been approved.

Cllr Reid said: “In the last three months, the CCG has found an existing Basingstoke surgery to take over the Rooksdown practice. It has failed to find a taker for Beggarwood.

“That means that the Beggarwood Surgery could shut in three months.

“At the same time, there are major planning applications under consideration, including the Golf Club site and Hounsome Fields.

“The CCG told the borough council that these developments would be served by the Beggarwood surgery, which had spare capacity. This may no longer be the case.

“Basingstoke therefore faces the prospect of thousands of homes being built without this piece of essential local infrastructure to support the residents.

“Under the circumstances, the borough council should review the applications in the light of this new information. If Beggarwood Surgery does shut, that will undermine the sustainability of the proposed developments.”

After the Care Quality Commission rated Cedar’s facilities as ‘inadequate’, the CCG was given until September to find a new provider.

Zara Hyde-Peters, managing director at the North Hampshire CCG, said: “We are continuing to look at the future arrangements for Beggarwood Surgery. The surgery remains open and is providing services.

“Finding a new provider to look after the patients from Beggarwood Surgery and provide high quality primary care services remains our shared priority.

“The CCG is currently looking to confirm arrangements for September onwards - either a permanent solution which is preferred, or an interim in case that is necessary after the current contract expires.

“The CCG is well aware of the potential growth in population linked to housing developments and will continue to work with local practices to ensure new patients will be able to access primary care services.”

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council cabinet member for planning, infrastructure and natural environment Cllr Mark Ruffell said: “Under the Local Plan, development proposals have to clearly identify how they will accommodate growth to create sustainable communities, including health facilities.

“Feedback from the CCG was that there is capacity at the Beggarwood Practice site to register additional patients and this should meet the expected demand for the growing population resulting from housing developments at the Golf Club and Hounsome Fields. Any operational issues would not be for the planning process to consider.

“Local Plan policy requires a community centre on the golf course site. This could include flexible spaces that could possibly be used by a doctor (or other medical use) should it be required in the future. There is no process for reviewing existing planning permissions, such as Hounsome Fields.”