Long-awaited health centre delayed again

Long-awaited plans for a new GP surgery have been delayed again after NHS bosses said it was unaffordable.

Negotiations with the developer, Assura, have collapsed more than a decade after work had been due to start on a new surgery at Great Western Park in Didcot.

The Integrated care board (ICB) for Oxfordshire, working with NHS England and the District Valuer concluded the latest proposals did not offer value for money and said it would be looking for an alternative partner for the project.

Ian Snowdon from South Oxfordshire District Council said he was "angry" with the delay and "embarrassed with how long this has taken".

Planning consent for the site had already been secured and despite this change, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB said it remained committed to delivering the new facility.

Residents began moving on to Great Western Park, in Didcot, more than a decade ago, but health facilities promised in the original proposals have still not been built.

Snowdon said: "When a road is delivered or this finally gets spades in the ground for this health facility nobody should claim any credit for it because we've completely let down residents."

Liberal Democrat MP for Didcot and Wantage, Olly Glover, raised the issue in the House of Commons in October and the health secretary, Wes Streeting, said he would "find out what has gone wrong".

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