Update to the proposed move to Market St

The proposed move is a co-location of three small, like-minded and well-established central city practices.  We all serve a wide range of patient populations that includes those from some of the University colleges.

As small practices we really value our individual identities and recognise that part of that comes from working out of much loved characterful period properties.  Sadly, delivering quality Primary Care services (and moving more and more medical care out of hospital) is becoming increasingly difficult in our current premises.  This was the situation before the global pandemic, but COVID-19 has cemented the unwelcome truth that our premises are not really fit for modern NHS care moving forwards.  Furthermore, there is little or no scope for providing new community services in the city out of our current premises (which leaves them defaulting to remaining at hospital level).

For over 15 years we have been looking at various possible new premises none of which have come to fruition.  As you can imagine, finding a site in our city that provides the critical balance between accessibility, location, size and affordability (for the NHS) is a huge challenge.

Likewise, for any such project to succeed requires multiple moving parts to line up (planning, legal issues, development, rent negotiations, et cetera), making it very difficult to know the point at which a project is confidently going ahead.

Our aim is to retain our individual identities, excellent accessibility and continuity of care with your named doctor.  However, we will be looking to provide this service from a purpose-built and state-of-the-art facility that can accommodate safe changes required by COVID-19 as well as much better building access for patients with disability.  We also hope to provide shared spaces that can be used to develop local and enhanced medical services to bring more care out of hospital and into the heart of the community.

We are in the midst of a trying time globally and locally – our intention is to do everything we can to continue to provide personal, accessible and safe medical care to all of our patients now and over the years to come.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Kind regards from the partners of

King Edward Street Medical Practice, 27 Beaumont Street Practice, 28 Beaumont Street Surgery

Published: Oct 29, 2020