Haslemere’s healthcare capacity has taken a vital step forward with the official opening of three additional clinical rooms and a new blood pressure self-check cubicle at the Haslemere Health Centre. Funded through £36,000 of neighbourhood CIL funding from Haslemere Town Council, the expansion addresses the growing demand for medical services in the area.

Mayor of Haslemere, Councillor Oliver Leach, who inaugurated the new facilities, said: “I feel a bit of a fraud standing here because all I’ve done is say yes in a couple of meetings. But there is an awful lot of hard work that goes into these rooms.

“This is a wonderful project for the council to be involved in, helping the community and improving healthcare facilities. I am fully aware of the efforts involved in completing this project, and I would like to thank all who contributed to making it happen.”

Dr Phil Ridsdill Smith, senior partner at the centre, said: “These rooms have been a long time coming – about eight years. We’ve been operating at full capacity, using every last inch of the building. In some cases, we had to turn away practitioners because there was simply no space. Now, with these three new rooms, we’ll be able to accommodate more staff and see many more patients.”

The health centre currently serves 19,000 patients and offers 98,000 appointments annually. With the additional rooms accommodating a pharmacist, GP trainee, and nurse practitioner, the expansion will further increase its capacity and efficiency.

“This project underscores our commitment to community well-being,” Dr Ridsdill Smith added. “We are deeply grateful to Haslemere Town Council for their support, which made this possible.”

This expansion is a significant milestone for the town, showcasing the power of collaboration to enhance local healthcare services. Anyone else with ideas for future initiatives for CIL funding should contact the council.