Doctor's surgery in Diss Health Centre seeks to build temporary cabin

The Lawns GP Practice at Diss Health Centre wants to build a temporary cabin in it grounds so it can cope with a rise in patients

A "desperate" GP practice has sought permission to expand into a second temporary building.

Plans for a cabin to be built in the grounds of the Diss Health Centre on Mount Street have been submitted to South Norfolk Council.

The town had 10,714 residents in the 2021 census - a rise from 7,572 in 2011, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Staff were also forced to work from home due to a lack of space.

Applicant Lawns Practice described the situation as being a "disadvantage" to the "people of Diss".

A report to South Norfolk Council said: "The need for a portacabin is because the existing facilities are too small and there is a requirement for additional space to improve patient services.

"Outreach nurses are having to work from home, which is not ideal, and additional clinical services are at present not being facilitated due to lack of clinical rooms.

"The practice (Lawns) therefore, to meet their requirements and to meet the needs expected of them for the clinical services to the surgery and the patients, desperately needs additional medical rooms directly and immediately."

The proposed cabin will be placed to the side of the existing buildings where there is already a smaller temporary structure, which will be relocated.

Almost 200 homes are set to be built in the town on land between Shelfanger Road and Heywood Road, which could further increase pressure on the existing facilities at the practice.

The application will be decided in due course.