Petition launched for long-awaited health centre

A petition for a new GP surgery has received more than 1,000 signatures in less than 24 hours of its launch, a councillor has said.

Residents of Didcot have been supporting Conservative councillor Ian Snowdon and community representatives in urging NHS bodies to deliver the long-awaited health centre at Great Western Park.

The Integrated care board (ICB) for Oxfordshire previously deemed the latest proposals unaffordable.

Mr Snowdon said it was a chance for "frustrated" residents to express their feelings about "this never-ending cycle of broken promises and failure".

"The message is clear: we need action, not more delays," the petition reads.

It is addressed to the Secretary of State for Health, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire & Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB) and Oxfordshire Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

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

"I've exhausted every formal avenue I could - I've asked multiple questions at full council, I've held cabinet members to account, I've been in meetings with ICB and BOB representatives," Mr Snowdon said.

"It is absolutely a community-led petition - it came about after I had so many residents contacting me, asking how they can help."

Negotiations with developer Assura collapsed collapsed more than a decade after work had been due to start.

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

"It's simply a chance for frustrated, angry and disillusioned residents to have their say and show the strength of feeling about this never-ending cycle of broken promises and failure," Mr Snowdon said.

The petition reads that the failure to deliver the facility "harms families, older people, and people with ongoing health needs".

Mr Snowdon added that once it is up and running, "we can look back and find out where all the failings happened".

He said he was "embarrassed" that despite his continued efforts, "we're pretty much where we were five years ago".

"We've had no health facilities, we've got no leisure facilities, we've got no new allotments - Didcot Garden Town has turned into an absolute disaster for Didcot."

The petition also has paper copies distributed to community venues such as care homes, shops and cafes.

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