THE long-awaited extension plans for Launceston Medical Centre are now being drawn up and will hopefully be submitted to Cornwall Council in the summer.

At an annual meeting of the Launceston Patient Participation Group, the centre’s business manager, Peter Harper, said that not only did the medical centre have funding from the NHS to cover the drawing up of plans for the extension and for applying for planning permission, but that surveyors and architects were on site obtaining the information necessary for detailed plans.

The work is being organised to ensure that as little disruption as possible is caused to the running of the medical centre.

Once the plans have been drawn up, in detail, they will be submitted to Cornwall Council in order to apply for full planning permission.

Mr Harper told the patient group during its March meeting he was hopeful that the council would consider plans, by the middle of the year.

However, he said: “Even if we get planning permission, it doesn’t guarantee that we shall get the funding we have requested for the work to be carried out.

“However, this is a positive step forward and we are hopeful that the funding will be forthcoming.”

The patient group came to the decision at the end of the meeting that supporting the medical centre’s extension plans would be their key focus for 2016, making it a priority.

They have said they will organise future information ‘road shows’ in the town once the detailed plans have been drawn up.

It was also decided that promoting the roles of the nursing team should be another key priority of the group.

The patient group is keen to encourage younger patients to come and join in discussion to aid them in making the services they use better.

The group meets every six to eight weeks and provides a link between the medical centre and those who use it.

The group would also like to welcome representatives of patient groups n the area as well as members of the medical staff.

Anyone interested in joining in and having their say can leave their name and contact details at the reception.

For more information visit the medical centre’s website launcestonmedicalcentre.co.uk and search under ‘Patient Group’.