FAST growing Okehampton is to have a new doctors? surgery after a successful bid for extra funds by Mid Devon Primary Care Trust to the Government.
The new practice should be open this summer and has been hailed as ?good news? for the town by Dr Paul Nielson of the Okehampton Medical Centre.
?We are absolutely delighted. I think it will be very good for the patients to have a choice. It will also help relieve the pressure, not only on doctors and nurses but also on car parking,? he said.
The need for a new doctors? practice is in response to the growing community and new housing in the town and because the existing medical centre is closing its list to new patients this spring.
?The medical centre in Okehampton has been completely overwhelmed with the number of new patients that have come in over the past few years,? said Dr Nielson.
He said as of now an options appraisal on potential sites for the new surgery was being carried out by the Mid Devon Primary Care Trust. This would take six weeks.
?At the end of that it will be decided where to put the practice. It may be put in temporary accommodation, depending on whether a complete new build will have to take place,? he said.
Lesley Dunaway, chief executive of the primary care trust, said: ?Working with the local doctors, we have already identified a need for another local practice and are delighted to have succeeded in our bid for additional funds for Okehampton.
?The bid was general enough for us to look at utilising an existing building or to buy a new property for use as a surgery. We will be consulting locally on the best location for the practice,? added Mrs Dunaway.
?Okehampton?s population is expected to grow very significantly over the next five years ? in excess of 10%. This compares with an average community growth rate of 4%.?
The practice will start with two members of staff and expand as the patient list size grows. It is anticipated it will have the equivalent of four full-time staff within three years.