Outlook good for new Abergele surgery

Dec 24 2008 by David Simister, North Wales Weekly News

ABERGELE’S long-suffering surgery looks set to get an injection of confidence from a high-flying Welsh politician when she visits the town next month.

Health minister Edwina Hart will arrive at the North Wales Business Park on January 15 to officially open construction work on Abergele Surgery’s forthcoming site, which had endured more than a decade of setbacks before finally being approved in October this year.

“She got involved in our campaign at a very early stage and she has given the project a lot of inertia and helped it get through the bureaucracy and red tape which has held it up in the past,” said Dr Jeremy Honeybun, one of the GPs at the current surgery.

“Obviously there are limits to what she can do to help us, but the funding which was secured earlier this year was largely down to her involvement.”

The minister gave the project a boost in March this year when she gave it her blessing at a statement read out at the Senedd, and in October this year the Weekly News reported how plans to rehome the surgery, currently located on Kinmel Avenue, to the new larger premises on the North Wales Business Park.

It is reported that the new surgery will bring all of Abergele’s health services under one roof with residents being able to access GPs, visiting and practice medical staff, services from Conwy and Denbighshire NHS Trust, Conwy County Council and voluntary organisations.

A number of bus services will be re-routed when the new centre is completed, creating a link between the site and the town centre.

Darren Millar, AM for Clwyd West, said the minister’s visit would highlight the progress being made on the surgery to town residents.

“It’s important for the public to see progress is being made with this project. I’m very keen to get this new surgery into place as the current one is dated and does not meet the modern health agenda,” he said. “The people of Abergele will finally get the surgery they deserve in 2009. It’s a great way to start the new year.”