Long-awaited Shifnal GP surgery to open after cost issues

The new surgery will be on Haughton Road in Shifnal

A long-awaited GP surgery will finally open after overcoming a shortage in funds and rising costs, the NHS said.

The surgery in Shifnal, Shropshire, was built to cope with growing demand and had planning approval in 2021.

When proposals were drawn up there were 10,700 patients registered with the practice but this rose to 12,000 and is expected to rise further.

NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin said the building, due to open on Monday, would be "future-proof".

The primary care group said it had received £1.1m from NHS England for the new practice but it was not enough to fund the whole scheme, including after it opened.

The practice had to find another £1m "to ensure it would not collapse before it started", a spokesperson said.

The Covid-19 pandemic, rising construction costs and high interest rates added another £1m to the final cost and created a large funding gap, NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin added.

The current surgery has been closed since Storm Babet at the end of October

The new surgery will have 11 clinical rooms and the NHS said it would be able to "adapt and flex" to cope with future demand.

It will replace an older building in the town, which closed at the end of October following floods after Storm Babet.

The new surgery will have 11 clinical rooms

Dr Kwok Yin Ian Chan, from the Teldoc Primary Care Network, said the old practice was "cramped and outdated" and he was delighted to bring GP services back to the town.

One of the GP partners at the surgery, Dr Rashpal Singh Bhachu, said there were still significant challenges and they would need to alter services for the future to cover the gap in funds.

But he said he was "pleased to have reached the finish line".