NHS chiefs remain committed to bringing new health centre to Hucknall

Proposals to create a new health centre in the town have rumbled on for several years with the ruling Ashfield Independents at Ashfield Council claiming it would be built as part of the Government’s Cavel Centre scheme.

But after claims that the new centre would be sited on Piggins Croft Car Park, then the old Seven Stars pub both came to nothing, NHS England last year said it was mothballing the whole Cavel Centre scheme nationwide due to lack of funding.

However, just before last year’s local elections, the Independents announced that the council was on the verge of buying the old Hucknall Sixth Form Centre on Portland Road and had more than £1m put aside for the project.

But since then, nothing has happened with neither the council or Nottinghamshire NHS having the available captial needed to buy the building.

Now, a post on a Hucknall community Facebook page has seemed to pour further cold water on the scheme by stating that Nottinghamshire Inetegrated Health Board has instead used Section 106 money from various housing developments in the town on other exisiting surgeries in the town.

The ICB confirmed this was the case with Whyburn Medical Practice receiving £26,780 and Torkard Hill Medical Centre £172,906.00 – split between Ashfield and Gedling councils – to increase capacity at both surgeries.

But the ICB added this money was separate to any funding that would be used for any potential new health centre.

An ICB spokesperson said: “The ICB remains committed to bringing a new health centre to Hucknall.

"The £200,000 in developer contribution funding secured in 2025-26 for the schemes to increase capacity at Torkard Hill Medical Centre and Whyburn Medical Practice are in addition to, not instead of, our long-term ambition for a new health centre in the area.”

The ICB added that the expansion works at Torkard Hill are now complete and will generate at estimated 22,500 additional appointments in the town each year, while the works at Whyburn will be completed before April and generate a further additional 15,000 appointments for the town each year.

However, local councillors believe these extra appointments will still not be enough to cope with the rapidly expanding population in Hucknall and have called on the ICB to continue pushing for a new health centre in the town.

County councillor John Wilmott (Dist All), who represents Hucknall North at County Hall, said: “With the ever-increasing population explosion in Hucknall and its surrounding area, a new health centre is absolutely essential at this time.

"It could also include a centre for youth activities as youngsters in the area have told me there’s nothing to do for them.

"It could also house a pensioners centre for the elderly where they could meet for a cup of tea and a chat, which would help to combat isolation that many pensioners say is a serious problem

"We are crying out for this health hub it is now up to the ICB to come up with the goods.”