A SOMERSET doctors’ surgery will finally be able to expand – four years after NHS bosses identified the need for new provision in the local area.

Langport Surgery (also known as the North Street Surgery) was one of 14 GP surgeries which were singled out by the NHS Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in September 2020 as needing to either expand or relocate to cope with significant housing growth in their catchment areas.

Since this date, NHS Somerset has been working on temporary solutions to provide additional capacity at these surgeries until more permanent solutions can be put in place – for instance, approving the ongoing use of portable buildings at Bruton Surgery until a new medical centre can be delivered as part of a planned housing development.

The Langport Surgery team applied in May to build an extension onto their existing premises on the A378 North Street which will allow more patients to be seen and additional practice staff to be recruited.

Somerset Council has now given the green light to these proposals – meaning that construction will be able to get under way within a matter of months.

The practice lies in the centre of Langport, a short distance from the town’s Tesco supermarket, Huish Episcopi Primary School and the main shopping area along and around Bow Street.

It currently has a list of around 14,000 patients, with NHS England deeming it should expand its existing premises by one third to meet national standards.

Under the agreed plans, a two-storey extension will be constructed on the western wing of the existing building, at a loss of three existing car parking spaces.

The new extension will include a meeting room for staff training, a telephone consultation space and a range of consultation rooms.

Read more: Temporary extension to North Petherton surgery to remain in place 

A spokesman for Orme Architecture (representing the surgery) said: “The extension will facilitate a meeting room, meaning the practice will not need to be closed as often.

“Currently the practice needs to utilise the waiting room for larger team meetings and training.

“This meeting room will facilitate opportunity for quality training and meeting space, ensuring the team are providing the best possible service.

“Space will be provided to allow increased clinical services to include a pharmacist, mental health and health coaching appointments, increased GP and nursing capacity to meet the demand of the growing population.

“It will lead to increased productivity for GPs who currently have to work from home to free up clinical room space, as often the connection to the clinical system is poor when accessing remotely, meaning less work can be done.

“The plan is to include a room which can be used at the practice for telephone consultations.”

Langport’s surrounding parish of Huish Episcopi has seen significant housing growth in the last decade – including the Parrett Gardens estate of 80 homes recently delivered by Persimmon Homes South West on the A372 Wincanton Road, and The Orchard estate of 36 properties recently completed by Allison Homes.

The council’s planning committee south approved revised plans in late-May for a further 100 homes on the B3153 Somerton Road – which includes a contribution of more than £50,000 towards extending Langport Surgery.

The doctors’ surgery plans were approved by the council’s planning officers through their delegated powers, rather than a public decision by the same committee.

The NHS Somerset integrated care board (ICB) has welcomed the decision, but declined to state exactly when the building work would start to deliver the new extension.

A spokesman said: “We have received an application for funding from the Langport Surgery to support their proposed expansion/ extension project.

“We are still in the process of reviewing the application and will respond to the practice in due course.

“We previously made an application to Somerset Council for Section 106 funding associated with a local housing development.

“We do not believe the outcome of this application has yet been decided and await to hear the decision from the council accordingly.”