3,000 people sign petition calling for urgent care services in Biggleswade as councillor says people "can't afford" to be sick out of hours

A petition with more than 3,000 signatures calling for urgent care services for Biggleswade has been presented to Central Bedfordshire Council.

Resident Mollie Smy said: “The 2011 national census recorded a population of 16,551 in the town, which had risen to 22,554 by 2021. There’s been no subsequent rise in medical provision. A plan for a GP surgery on the Kings Reach development and proposals to open a drop-in centre have been scrapped. I call on CBC to insist the BLMK integrated care board (ICB) provides more GPs immediately.”

Independent Biggleswade West councillor Hayley Whitaker said: “The people of Biggleswade and surrounding areas need something to address that unmet need. I’ve spent the last two years asking why we don’t use that vacant site in London Road we own, where we could build a health hub tomorrow.

“We need to work with the ICB and not be adversarial. Biggleswade is crying out for something out-of-hours because at the moment you can’t afford to be sick then.”

Conservative Biggleswade East councillor Grant Fage acknowledged the concerns, saying: “We’ve the Ivel Medical Centre in the town which is under new contract. The management needs time to deliver, as it has a good plan to get more people through the doors.

“The challenges are obtaining ICB support for the health hub and not having enough land in Biggleswade, as well as GP staffing.”

Independent Leighton Linslade West councillor Steve Owen suggested: “This mirrors Leighton Buzzard where we lack GPs, urgent care treatments and localised hospital services. BLMK ICB has £1.7bn each year and is intent on spending it in the three towns of Bedford, Luton and Milton Keynes. It has no effective plan for delivering more GP surgeries in places, such as Biggleswade and Leighton Buzzard, where housing has been foisted on the community.

“This council’s integrated healthcare hub programme lacks a financial plan and is going nowhere fast. The ICB won’t consult residents or patient participation groups.”

Liberal Democrat Leighton Linslade South councillor Emma Holland-Lindsay said: “You could be saying exactly the same about access to healthcare and GPs in many of our towns and villages across this area. We take this matter seriously, and we’re pushing incredibly hard for GP access and more facilities. Patients shouldn’t be having to battle to see our GPs.”

Independent Leighton Linslade West councillor Victoria Harvey warned: “We desperately need more access to GPs, clinicians and the health service generally. But we need to think more holistically, rather than beating the ICB over the head when the NHS is short of funding.”

Conservative Westoning, Flitton and Greenfield councillor James Jamieson explained: “We had plans to roll out health hubs in Biggleswade, Leighton Buzzard and Ampthill. They were dependent on the health service working with us. Sometimes we don’t have the powers to do what we want.”

Independent Houghton Conquest and Haynes councillor and executive member for health and community liaison Rebecca Hares said: “The ICB hasn’t had any extra capital funding during Covid. It’s lobbying the government for more funding to deliver the healthcare needed in this area. This isn’t a political issue. It’s a personal one.”