Council approves funding of just under £1 million to improve Milton Keynes health centre
Milton Keynes City Council has approved funding of just under £1 million to expand facilities at Walnut Tree Health Centre.
The authority has approved funding of £900,000 to improve offerings at the health centre, located at Blackberry Court in Walnut Tree.
Plans for the centre include a single-storey extension and changes inside the building to create three new consulting rooms, a larger waiting area and better facilities for staff.
Money for the upgrades has come from contributions secured by the city council from housing developers.
According to the NHS website, the surgery is currently accepting new patients, however the Milton Keynes Labour and Liberal Democrat groups report that the surgery’s patient list has grown by more than a third since 2020, and that it has no room for extra clinics.
Extra space could allow the surgery to recruit another GP, which would enable it to offer up to an additional 7,000 appointments per year, as well as run more clinics on site.
The city council’s cabinet member for planning Jennifer Wilson-Marklew said: “When we plan new homes, we also need to plan for the services people will rely on.
“Local services like GP surgeries need to keep pace as neighbourhoods grow.
“I’m pleased we’ve approved funding from developers to help the health centre meet growing demand.”
Lib Dem councillor Ben Adewale, who represents the Walton ward added: “If the surgery can run more clinics, patients could get more of the care they need locally.
“That could mean fewer trips across the city and less time out of the day for patients and their families.”