REDBOURN residents may be without adequate health care for up to a year following delays from the developers of Cumberland House in submitting plans for a new medical centre.

That is the concern of the parish council working party set up to liaise with developers Fairclough Homes and the St Albans and Harpenden Primary Care Trust (PCT).

Chairman of the consultation committee on health care provision in Redbourn Roy Bentley is worried the closure of The Elms Surgery in April 2002 will lead to a period of nine months to a year where patients will be relying on the Medical Centre in the High Street.

Mr Bentley said: "The planning application will not be straightforward as Cumberland House is a listed building in the Redbourn conservation area. Given the inevitable difficulties in developing this site we had been hoping that Fairclough would have submitted their final plans by now.

"We are committed to working with the parties concerned so that the whole process does not drag on and on. We will be inviting Fairclough Homes to attend the next public meeting on January 31 where we hope the final plans will be available for public scrutiny."

Head of health services for the trust David Davies emphasised its commitment to ensuring health care provision in Redbourn does not suffer while the new medical centre is developed.

"We are helping Dr Dexter's surgery in the High Street with its plan to recruit an extra doctor and an extra partner. The PCT are working with the practice to realise their intention but it should be stressed that it is an independent practice and we are only assisting."

October 29, 2001 16:26

Aaron Bateman