WITH the expansion of Launceston Medical Centre due to begin in August, the centre and Patient Participation Group (PPG) is keen to keep local people up to date and to gather suggestions.

Before building work starts, patients are being invited to ask questions about the plans and offer suggestions for the refit.

DS Smith has donated suggestion boxes which are in Launceston Medical Centre, the Tourist Information Centre, and the town centre branch of Costa.

They will be collated by PPG committee members who will be distributing leaflets with information and a suggestion form.

Work will begin with the construction of a new wing at the back of the medical centre.

It will be a partially two-storey building with consulting rooms and waiting area on the ground floor and staff rooms above. It will take around nine months to build and shouldn’t impact on the existing service during construction.

There will then be a transition period of around three months where the existing and new buildings will be linked and the phone and IT setup will be moved to the new building.

During the next phase — again taking around three months — one side of the existing building will be out of action and doctors will be able to use the new building.

Finally the existing building will be refurbished and two rooms demolished to make way for a new road linking the front car park with the new back one to create a one-way system for vehicles entering and leaving. This will also take around three months.

Liberal Democrat Cornwall Councillor for Launceston South, Jade Farrington, said: “They will work hard to minimise disruption during the building work, but I hope everyone will be kind and understanding to staff while work is ongoing. It will be worth the wait as we’ll have a bigger and better surgery to serve the town.

“There will be more consulting rooms, two waiting areas, a bigger reception area, a dispensary with a separate entrance, a training room for staff, and more car parking. There is also an ongoing staff recruitment drive in place.

“The Patient Participation Group, which is chaired by Joan Heaton, will have a stand at Tesco on June 29, Launceston Market in the Square on July 14, and Launceston Show on July 26 so you can discuss the plans and give them your ideas. They are looking for other venues to help reach more people.”

More information can be found at www.launcestonmedicalcentre.co.uk